Harry Potter, Astra Knight and the Omega Time
by Ehren Hatten
Summary: Follow Harry and Astra through their final year through Hogwarts. Action and Humor are abound with the teachers becoming teenagers again, madcap adventures in search of a mysterious stone, a mysterious countdown and more. FINNISHED!
1. Texas Home

A/N: Here we go with the third and final story of this series. Hope you enjoy these, because this is getting tiring coming up with these stories... but I enjoy every minute of it! HAHAHAHA!  
  
By the way... it really does get that hot here in Texas....  
  
  
Harry Potter, Astra Knight  
and the  
Omega Time  
  
  
  
Chapter One  
  
  
  
"Astra!!!! It's for you!" Ruth Knight's voice rang clear through out the house. Astra's grandmother was good at doing that.  
  
Astra jumped and grabbed her phone. "I got it! Transfer it to me!" Her family had the satellite phones that could have multiple phones to one base. She had one in her own room. Avalon had one, although she rarely used it. Astra's mother, Benedikta Knight, had her own, although she never could remember how to use it, and there were two downstairs.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hello Astra... how are you?" Draco's voice came from the other end. Astra was startled.   
  
"Yer using a phone? A muggle device?! Isn't yer dad climbing up the walls yet?" Astra smirked.  
  
"Not quite yet, but he is getting close to finding a way to destroy the thing.... I barely figured it out." Draco said.  
  
"How the hell did you get one in yer hou-- nevermind... I don't particularly care at the moment. Yer kinda running up a bill over here so we better start getting to the point. Did you tell yer mother?" Astra said quickly.  
  
"Yes..."  
  
"Did she have a heart attack?"  
  
"Not entirely sure.... she gives me this look like I'm a lost soul or something....." Draco said in an amused sort of voice. "This is getting fun...."  
  
"I certainly hope so... Soooo... when do you come over?" Astra smiled. "We got a place for you and everything!"  
  
The phone was silent for a while. Astra was wondering what had happened. "I'll be over this evening."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I'm not entirely sure....."  
  
"I've got an idea... I will get you over here by floo network... I've done it before and I usually end up doing it somewhere along the way, so don't worry..." Astra said quickly. "Don't worry... I'll help get the soot out of yer clothes."  
  
"That's what worries me...."  
  
"I'm gonna so smack the hell outta you for that!" She growled into the phone. "Well... I think I've run up the bill long enough.... I'm going to ask the US Floo Network execs to let me use one to yer house. Where is it?"  
  
Draco told her where it was and she hung up the phone. She sighed dreamily. Then, she jumped up and started writing the floo network. "Skywise, get yer feathered butt in here!"  
  
Skywise slithered in and turned into a black barn owl. He hooted and flapped up onto her desk. "I need you to take this to the US Ministry department that's in town. Okay? Now make yer presence known and don't leave until they give the correct answer."  
  
Skywise hooted and took the letter. Astra opened her window and let him fly out. She saw him disapparate in mid flight. "I was right...."  
  
That evening, Astra flew through the floo network and found Draco's house. She rolled onto the carpet and coughed. "SOMEbody needs to sweep their chimney more often!" she gasped. She was covered in soot.  
  
She stood up and gasped at the sight around her. She wasn't in a house, she was in a castle! She couldn't believe her eyes. "Draco lives in a castle?"  
  
"Actually, It's more like a small fortress nowadays...."   
  
Astra turned and saw that same smirking figure that drew her in like prey. She smiled warmly and walked over to him. He smiled down at her mischievously. "I see you have been covered." He gazed over her entire body, making Astra blush through the soot. She was wearing blue jean shorts and a purple shirt, but now they were black with soot.  
  
His smile became seductive and he drew her in a hug. "You look nice..." He purred into her ear. His voice sent shivers up her spine. She heard his heart start to beat faster, or was that her own. She smiled dreamily up at him.  
  
"I think we ought to get yer stuff into the floo tunnel before it shuts off." Astra said weakly.  
  
"Draco? Draco.... Where are--"  
  
Astra tried to pull away, but Draco held onto her tightly. "Hello mother... I was just talking to Astra here...."  
  
Narcissa Malfoy grimaced at Astra as if she were a bug to be squashed. Astra's face went to that of determination. She hated being looked down on like a peasant. She pried herself away from Draco and walked up to Mrs. Malfoy. She held out her hand, cheerfully smiling. "Hello, Mrs. Malfoy! I'm Astra Knight! It's nice to meet you."  
  
"Pleasure, I'm sure...." she said smoothly. She turned her disgusted gazed from Astra and smiled at her son. "Draco, dear... I thought you said you would have a ride to America.. Not a soot covered girl...."  
  
"Mrs. Malfoy... I'm taking him to my place via floo network..." Astra said, still trying her best to be as nice as possible.  
  
"Was I talking to you...." Mrs. Malfoy glared at Astra in contempt.  
  
Astra was losing her patience and Draco seemed to notice it. He had grabbed Astra around the waist and pulled her back before she could advance on Mrs. Malfoy with her fists. "Mother... I need to go...."  
  
"Alright, son... but remember to practice your lessons!" Ms. Malfoy called after them as Astra picked up Draco's trunk, grabbed his arm and dove into the fire. He held onto he tightly all the way through until they rolled out together at the other end.  
  
"Okay! Let's get yer trunk up stairs and get you settled in!" Astra said cheerfully. She ran up the stairs to get the spare room ready. Draco walked in just as Astra was opening the closet.   
  
"It's quaint..." Draco said softly. "Where's your room....?"  
  
"Next door... Avalon is next to mine and my mom sleeps in the one at the end of the hall." Astra said. "Bring yer trunk over here...."  
  
"I left it down stairs... I thought your house elf would bring it up here..." Draco said grimacing at her.  
  
"We don't have any house elves, Draco...." She sighed heavily in frustration. "The first thing about being in my house is, doing things on you own. Most people learn this early on, but I see you've been pampered a bit too long..."  
  
"Do you mean that I have to actually lift it myself?" Draco said indignantly.  
  
"Yes.... well... I guess if it's too heavy for you, I can help you..." Astra said with a smile.  
  
Draco pouted and walked back down the stairs with Astra. She put an arm around his waist and hugged him. "Don't worry... you don't have to be alone in the endeavor." She took one end of the trunk and Draco took the other. They hefted his trunk up the stairs and into the spare room.  
  
When they were finished, Astra sat against the trunk and wiped her brow. Draco sighed and sat down beside her. He took her nearest arm and drew it around his waist and leaned her against him. She listened o his heart beat.   
  
"PHOTO OP!"  
  
Astra was blinded by a flash of bright light. She stared dizzily at the culprit with the offending device. Her sister stood with a smirk against the banister, a camera hung around her neck.  
  
"Avalon......" Astra growled through gritted teeth.  
  
Astra chased Avalon throughout the house. Astra laughed with her as they started wrestling on the carpeted floor downstairs. "HA HA! You idiot!" It was a great ending for a grand day.  
  
The next few days, Astra took Draco shopping at the local muggle mall, to Zilker Park for some extreme frisbee and a walk through the Umlaf Garden. It was fun being with Draco, even through the bickering that would happen out of no where. Of course.... that was part of the fun as well.  
  
On Thursday, Astra got a letter from Harry.   
  
Astra,  
  
I hope you are having a nice time with Draco, as odd as that is for me to say. I'm having fun with Sirius. We watched Monty Python and the Holy Grail yesterday. I had never watched it before now. The Dursleys never really watched anything interesting.   
  
So... I just got a letter from Ron asking if I would like to come over for the rest of the summer. Sirius was at first a little reluctant, but then he said he would meet me at the train station to see me off. Remus said he would see me there as well.  
  
I told him that I would ask you if you, Avalon, Kennedy and Draco would like to come over. He said that it was perfectly fine with his mum. Anyway, Write back soon.  
  
Harry  
  
  
Astra whistled for Skywise and he flapped in through the window. Astra wrote a reply on the back of the letter and tied it to Skywise's leg. He set off through the window and disappeared.  
  
The door to her room opened and Draco appeared there. He pale skin was reddened from the summer sun. "Draco.... I told you that you should wear that special sun block of mine...."  
  
"It's not that...." He huffed and lifted his shirt off. Astra blushed slightly and smiled. "It's Dante's Inferno out there.... how the hell do you stand this!"  
  
"You get used to it. It's only ninety-eight degrees out there, anyway.... wait 'till it reaches a hundred and ten out there.... THAT is the normal temperature for Texas in the summer." Astra said non-chalantly.  
  
"What?! A bleeding hundred and ten! You could broil your feet in temperatures like that!" Draco said in disbelief. Astra grinned.  
  
"Listen.. I've got to go downtown to play at the Arts Festival. You are coming with me. Nevaeh will meet us there as will Kennedy."   
  
Draco gulped. "You mean... out there... in the sun?"  
  
"Yes... out there in the sun.... unfortunately. With a stage that I call the 'Linoleum Hell'. The Blazing Bows will be playing so I have to go." Astra stood up and walked into her closet. It was a walk-in closet, so she disappeared into it practically. She took off her shirt and reached for a red shirt with flames on the front.   
  
She turned to walk out and saw Draco standing at the door. He smirked at her seductively. "You have a beautiful back...." he purred at her.  
  
She blushed furiously as he drew his arms around her. He smiled down at her and pressed his lips to hers gently. She let him deepen the kiss and felt his hands as they carressed her back. Her head felt dizzy when he let up. Her head rested against his neck as she breathed in his scent deeply. He smelled wonderful.  
  
"I need to go get my instrument..." She said as her brain started coming back to her again. She grabbed his arm and pulled him out of her room. "Come along, Lobster Boy!"  
  
Astra put her hair into two braids and grabbed her violin case. When she showed up in the living room, Draco sat on the couch with Avalon and her mother. She smiled and lifted her case. "I'm ready!"  
  
"Good! Let's go everyone!" Benedikta said cheerfully. They piled into the car and drove into downtown Austin.   
  
When they reached the meeting area, Astra ran over and unpacked her case quickly. Her instructor, Mary, smiled pleasantly and hugged Astra. "Come on! I was waiting for the rest to show up. We're gonna start soon!"  
  
Draco showed up behind Astra and stared at her violin. "So you play an instrument, eh?"  
  
Astra blushed pink. "I got it at a retail store. I call it the devil's golden fiddle after the lines in the song 'Devil went Down to Georgia'." She showed him the very blonde wood front and the reddish back that looked like a fire pattern.  
"Very nice..."  
  
While playing on the 'Linoleum Hell', which was little more than a linoleum tile duct tapped onto the street, Astra felt like her skin was searing off of her body. She muttered a charm that cooled her off some, and quickly hid her wand in her blouse.  
  
After the show, Astra repacked her violin and took it back to the car. When she walked back, Draco startled her by waiting for her at the gate. She smiled and shook her head at him. "Don't do that!" she playfully slapped him on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around her waist.  
  
They walked through the fair and saw many painting and metal works. Astra took pictures of herself and Draco with some metal animals made out of spare parts. Nevaeh, Avalon and Kennedy showed up and she took pictures of them with the animals, as well.   
  
The entire day, Astra had fun. Draco was being courteous to Nevaeh and Kennedy, at least that is what it seemed to Astra. She didn't mind him at all. She enjoyed the feel of his body next to hers.  
  
They went home and Nevaeh and Kennedy had dinner with Astra. It was a good day indeed. 


	2. The Weasleys

A/N: What do ya'll think of Astra and Draco's relationship, guys? I think it sounds about right. You noticed I put her in tighter clothes than she was in when she first appeared in year five? That's because I wanted her to look shexy! :3 Hey! I can do that if I want! BWAHAHAHAHAHA! And Professor Snape skipping off into the sunset!  
  
My friend Celia told a great image. A parody of sorts if you will....   
  
At the end of Harry Potter in year seven, the only living things left are Trevor and the Squid riding off into the sunset on top of the Weasley's car. Cute, ne? ^.^ I've got a new book! Celia gave me an Amy Tan book called The Kitchen God's Wife. I bought myself a book called Chobits by CLAMP. It's great, although it's for 16+ age group. Eh... who cares! I'm old enough! Any hoo.... It's absolutely hillarious! HAHAHAHA! Oh... you ought to check out Angelic Layer as well! It's by CLAMP and it's majorly cool!  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Two  
  
  
  
  
Harry sat next to the fire place waiting for Ron to arrive. He sighed heavily. He missed Ginny. He had been waiting to see her, he even had a present for her that he had found in the small town that Sirius lived in.   
  
Sirius' house was quite a bit smaller than Remus' family home. Harry felt right at home when he had walked into it. Sirius thought it was amusing when Harry started zipping around the room like a child in a toy store. Harry was incredibly happy to be with Sirius.  
  
Sirius walked into the room smiling at Harry while pulling on his driving gloves. "Alright there, Harry?" Sirius said cheerfully.  
  
"Yeahh....." Harry said glummly. Sirius walked over to Harry and put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"I just got an owl... Want to have a ride?" Sirius smiled.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"I received an owl from Mrs. Weasley saying that Ron couldn't come retrieve you. She asked me if I couldn't bring you." Sirius kept smiling at Harry.  
  
Harry smiled and dragged his trunk outside. Then, a thought hit him. "Wait a minute... Don't you have any floo powder?"  
  
Sirius flopped to the ground on his knees and turned into a dog. Then, he begged. "Let me guess.... you don't ...." Harry said.  
  
"You guessed it!" Sirius said as soon as he turned back into himself. "I keep forgetting to get some! My brain is still on Azkaban mode!" He wept mockingly.  
  
Harry patted his shoulder sympathetically. "It's okay... I was just curious if there was an easier way to get there than your bike...."  
  
Sirius straighten up and glared at Harry, taking his ears in both hands and tugging on them. "And there is something wrong with my bike!"  
  
"Ouch! Sorry! I'm Sorry!" Harry stammered. Sirius immediately let go of his ears. Harry rubbed his ears and got onto Sirius' motorcycle as Sirius shrank Harry's trunk and set it on the back.  
  
"Here's a helmet, kid..." Sirius smiled as he handed Harry a helmet. Harry put it on just as Sirius took off.  
  
An Hour later, Harry and Sirius found Ottery St. Catchpole and the Weasley's house. Sirius landed his motorcycle in their yard and let Harry get off of it. In a second, Harry was thrown onto the ground by something soft and pleasant smelling. He smiled down at the top of Ginny's head as she buried her face into his chest. "I missed you!!!!!"  
  
Mr. Weasley walked out of the house and smiled at Harry who had a very cute red head attached to him. Harry smiled up at Mr. Weasley. "Hello, Mr. Weasley!"  
  
"I see you have a new appendage there, Harry..." He said cheerfully. Mr. Weasley walked up to Sirius and smiled. "Hello, Sirius! Bill's here if you want to say hello...."  
  
"Bill? I haven't seen that kid since I was a seventh year!" Sirius said happily. "Where is he!"  
  
"Right here, Mr. Black..." said Bill Weasley who had come out just as Mr. Weasley had said his name. His hair was tied back in a ponytail and he still wore that single earing. He smiled at Sirius and shook his hand. "As you can see... I'm not a scrawny second year anymore..."  
  
"No... but you are still scrawny..." Sirius commented with grin. Bill smiled an evil grin.  
  
Harry lifted himself up to his knees. Ginny still had a firm grip on his shirt and didn't look like she was going to let go anytime soon. Harry smirked and stood up as he placed a hand behind her knees and swept her up into his arms. "I think I ought to go inside... Hopefully I can come back out to get my trunk."  
  
Mr. Weasley was smiling gleefully at Sirius' motorcycle as he poked and prodded it. "Amazing! Astounding! I don't believe I have seen something quite like this before!"  
  
"Well at least I wasn't a hound for attention like some people are..." Bill commented.  
  
"I'm not just ANY hound, Weasley.... I'm the best!" Sirius countered.  
  
Harry entered the house and sat down on the couch. Ginny sat on his lap, still holding onto him. He breathed in her hair, his hands tangling themselves in it. He missed this... her warmth... her softness.... her scent...   
  
"VIRGINIA!"   
  
Harry was shot out of his reverie by Ron's shriek. Harry stared up into that glaring visage and paled. Ron was awfully scary when it came to his sister. "Hello, Ron... didn't think you would go ballistic over Harry like this..." Ginny said calmly. She was as red as her hair.  
  
She slid off of Harry's lap and smiled up at Ron. Then, she walked past him and grabbed a newspaper. "How can you read when I'm angry at you! Do you know what you looked like on Harry like tha--"  
  
She hit him over the head with the rolled up newspaper. She smiled in a satisfied way and walked up the stairs. Harry shook his and smiled. Despite Ron's notorious anger, he still had a long way to go to be at his sister's level.  
  
Harry nearly jumped through the roof as a pair of arms slunk around his neck, pulling him into a hug. Familiar whitish hair fell onto his shoulder and he smiled. "Hullo Astra..."  
  
Astra set her head onto Harry's and beamed. "Tee hee! I missed you, guy! I had a fun time back home! How was your stay at Sirius'?"  
  
"Great! I enjoyed it very much!" Harry beamed.   
  
"What's this...?" came a familiar growl. Harry turned his head as did Astra. Harry could've laughed himself silly at the look on Draco's face. "*sniff* How can you do this to me, Astra! Are you choosing HIM over ME?!"  
  
Astra had let go of Harry. He looked up at her and saw an incredibly clueless expression. "Huh?"  
  
Draco got closer and took one of her hands. He opened his black button up shirt and placed her hand inside onto his chest. "If you plan on taking my heart away, Astra... do it in a more pleasant fashion...." He purred at her. Harry felt like he was going to vomit. This was the last thing he needed to see.  
  
Astra was blushing furiously and looked a bit like she could melt into a puddle at any moment. She didn't move or say anything as Draco pulled her closer, slinking her other arm around his waist. He had a devious glint in his gray eyes as he smirked down at Astra and brought his face closer to hers.  
  
"HARRY!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Harry jumped and smiled as Astra jumped away from Draco. She was still blushing furiously. A black barn owl flew in and landed on her shoulder. Draco growled at Skywise and heaved a sigh.  
  
Mrs. Weasley came out of the garden and smiled at Harry. "Come out! We have a game to play!"  
  
Harry glanced at Astra and she shrugged. "Damned if I know...."  
  
They walked out of the house and into the garden. There was a long rope laid across the wide expanse in the field with a long line at the middle. "We're going to play tug-o-war!" Astra beamed. "Guys versus Gals!"   
  
"That sounds like a plan...." said Fred Weasley as he walked up with George behind him and Nevaeh wrapped around George's waist.   
  
"Let's play people!" shouted Astra. She ran over to one side and took the front. Harry took the front of the other side of the rope. Ron came out and took up position behind Harry. Ginny came up behind Astra and took her place. Hermione came up behind Ginny and Nevaeh behind Hermione. Fred and George took their places behind Ron. Bill Weasley walked over and smiled.   
  
"On the count of three, start.... three... two... one!"  
  
Harry pulled as hard as he could on the rope. He gritted his teeth and pulled hard, feeling the rope give with him. Astra smirked at him evilly. She dug her heels into the ground and pulled hard, sending Harry forward a bit.  
  
"Come on, Fred! George! Pull harder! You two were beaters! You can handle this!" cried Ron.  
  
"Yes, but there are another two people on the other side that are beaters as well, Ron..." George growled.  
  
"Besides... Astra's stronger than me!" Fred said.  
  
"Do the ickle boys have a problem?" asked Ginny mischievously.  
  
Harry grinned. "Not a problem!" Harry felt his side start to pull. Harry tugged on the rope as hard as he could and felt the rope give way.  
  
"ACK!" Astra yelped as the girl's side fell over.  
  
"Boys win!" Harry said breathlessly.  
  
Draco walked over clapping sarcastically. He kneeled next to Astra and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Should I go get a doctor...?" He said with that smirk on his face.   
  
Astra lifted herself up and growled at him. "Not by a long shot! We ain't through yet!"  
  
Harry smirked at Ginny. "Play again, shall we?"   
  
Ginny smiled up at him. "Whatever you say..."  
  
They took up their positions again. "Three.. Two... One!" shouted Bill.  
  
Harry tugged as hard as he could. The rope gave and he fell on top of Ron. Ginny kneeled down next to Harry. "You win!" She stood up and walked away to the table that Mrs. Weasley had set out.  
  
Harry sat down at the table and kissed Ginny's cheek. She blushed slightly and smiled. Mrs. Weasley smiled at Harry approvingly. "Eat up, Harry!"  
  
The evening went wonderfully. Ron and Hermione constantly bickered about nonessential things, as usual. Ginny kept a warm arm near Harry, much to his comfort. Bill and Charlie both made jokes about their parents, making Mrs. Weasley blush slightly in the candlelight.  
  
Astra and Draco sat together at the end of the table. Every now and then, Astra made a startled squeak and glared at Draco. Avalon barely talked to anyone. Even Kennedy didn't seem to gain her attention. She just stared off into space, up at the stars and the moon, not saying a word as she finished her slice of pie.  
  
Nevaeh listened to Bill and Charlie, but she seemed sad. She kept glancing around at everyone despondently. "Cheer up, Nev! The twins are a little busy at their shop this summer." Charlie said with a broad smile.  
  
Later that night, everyone went to their rooms and beds for the night. In the morning, it would be Harry's birthday and he would at last be seventeen.  
  
He woke up in the middle of the night to a searing pain in his forehead. He winced as he sat up. "Did I have another dream?" he muttered to himself. He couldn't remember, which was odd, since he always remembered the dreams that carried the searing pain of the lightning bolt shaped scar on his forehead.  
  
He got out of bed and walked down to the living room. He walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of milk. "You're up, as well?" asked a distant, but familiar voice from the couch in the living room.  
  
He walked over and saw Avalon sitting with her feet under her, watching him like a hawk. "Vee... it's you..." Harry sighed. He realized something Astra had told him. Avalon rarely talked to anyone other than her sister. When she did, it was usually to say something as a warning. The color drained from his face.  
  
Avalon sat there on the couch studying him with those black eyes of hers. Her long black hair was untied and cascaded around her in waves. "Do you know who you are?" she said softly.  
  
Harry was perplexed. He heard her clearly, but what she had said made no sense. "I'm Harry Potter.... you've known that since you arrived in my fifth year...."  
  
"Indeed.... but even before then.... I knew you...." Avalon said in that low voice of hers. She sounded similar to Astra now. "I knew that you would become friends with my sister... I knew that one day you would need her help in the worst way..."  
  
Harry stared at her. He knew that at the end of the year before, Astra was able to make time bend for her. He had helped him most deffinantly throughout her two years at Hogwarts. "You know that as well as I do, Vee... she's always there...."  
  
Avalon stared at him with those dark eyes boring into him. Suddenly, there was a loud boom that shook the house. Harry leapt over to the nearest window and looked out. In the distance, there was a house burning to ash. He could hear screaming, but he couldn't see anything.  
  
"The countdown has begun, Harry...." Avalon's voice intoned and then..... Harry woke up..... 


	3. Diagon Alley

A/N: I just read a Wrinkle in Time yesterday. It didn't take me too long to read it... it's kinda short, really. I want to read the second book, but I gotta find it. Is it just me or did Calvin move really quickly with Meg.... quicker than any 14 yr old boy I ever knew.... :p  
  
My grandmother is watching HP:SS downstairs... I didn't feel like watching a whole lot so here I am.... I wonder when the soundtrack for CoS comes out.... I can't wait! GAH! I want the third book to Angelic Layer as well... and Chobits.... and half a dozen other things as well... grrrrrrr....  
  
  
  
Chapter Three  
  
  
  
  
Harry walked down the steps of the Weasley house and into the kitchen for breakfast. He yawned loudly and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He sat down and smiled blearily at Ginny. She giggled at him. "You look like a child with your hair like that..."  
  
"It just grows that way...." Harry smirked at her.  
  
Astra walked in and sat down in the manner she generally had in the morning. Her hair was even more spider web like than it usually was. It stuck out in odd angles, like Harry's, and floated as she walked. "It'll be like this for about an hour and then.... blegh...."  
  
Hermione giggled and Ron smiled. "You two look like you had a rough night..." Ron said as he helped himself to some eggs that Mrs. Weasley put on their plates. "Thanks, mum."  
  
"You're welcome, Ron...."  
  
"I generally look like this in the morning Ron...." Astra said flatly.  
  
"I had a weird dream...." Harry said as he yawned again.   
  
"I have those all the time... I never have good dreams or nightmares... just bizarre and unreal...." Astra said nonchalantly.  
  
"This one I can't remember very well.... I think it had something about burning houses in it...." Harry said as he ate his eggs. "And someone asking me, do you know who you are....."  
  
Avalon came in, her long black hair cascaded down her back in waves. She stared at Harry with her black eyes and smiled. She sat down and smiled at Mrs. Weasley. "You are just so sweet, dearie!" Mrs. Weasley said as she gave Avalon a hug.  
  
Ron stared at his mother incredulously. "What did she do that was so sweet?"  
  
"She smiled at me in the morning... if you and your brothers did that on a normal basis, I wouldn't be like this..." she grinned.  
  
That afternoon, Harry had a nice time playing a simplified form of Quidditch. Basically, they just tossed apples to each other. Astra was one of the worst tossers. She tossed, but ended up throwing too hard and at the wrong part of the person. Ron got thrown off his broom three times trying to avoid being beheaded by Astra.  
  
"Sorry!" Astra called as she threw an apple at Ron again and it nearly hit his head. "Grrrr... this is why I'm a fricken beater!" she growled. Harry laughed as he caught the apple she had thrown.   
  
That evening, Mrs. Weasley came out with a chocolate birthday cake for Harry. "Make a wish, Harry!" she beamed at him.  
  
Harry smiled at Ginny and thought about wanting her by him always. It was a warm thought. He sighed and blew out his candles. Everyone clamored over with their presents for him. Hermione gave him a book on dark spells and defenses against them. On gave him a chess set. Astra and Nevaeh gave him a bottle of some kind of potion they had thought up.  
  
It was Ginny's present that caught his eyes. She blushed as she gave it to him. It was a small box. He opened it and found an interesting gold ring inside. It had two lions holding a blood red gem stone. "For luck..." she muttered and kissed him.  
  
That night, Harry slept fitfully. He couldn't find a comfortable position to be in. He sat up in bed and put on his glasses. He saw the ring glinting in the moonlight. He reached over and put it on.   
  
He walked down the stairs into the living room and found it was already being occupied. Astra sat watching the window. Her long whitish hair flowed around her like spider silk.  
  
"Hello, Astra.... couldn't sleep?" He said while yawning. She turned her gaze towards him.  
  
She smiled up at him. "Yeah... I was thinking about my future...." she trailed off. "I was thinking.... about what I was going to do after we graduate...." she said.  
  
"Graduate?"  
  
"Yeah.... in America... we generally have this grand cerimony where we get to... you know what.... never mind...." Astra said finally. Harry didn't press it further.  
  
"You know... I was wondering that myself...." He sat down next to her. "I wonder what's going to happen.... I feel... as though someone or something is warning me about something...." He said. "Nevermind... It's probably before school pre-head boy jitters...."  
  
"You know... I still can't figure how you got to be Head Boy in the first place... isn't that supposed to be like this regal position?" Astra said with a smirk.  
  
"And I'm not regal enough for it? The great and grand Harry Potter isn't Kingly enough to be Head Boy?!" Harry said as he shoved her.  
  
"Oh hush! Just because you've got a cute pair of eyes and a cool scar, doesn't mean that you can rule the world!" Astra said. She yawned suddenly. "It looks like I'm starting to get sleepy now... I'm heading up..." She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the forehead, right on his scar. "Good night...." She walked up the stairs and disappeared.  
  
  
  
The next couple of weeks went fine. Harry was able to get sleep, but he could never really remember what had happened in them. On the day that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were taking them to Diagon Alley, Harry received his school supplies list. The list came with another envelope.  
  
Hermione squealed in glee as she put on her new badge. "I've been made Head Girl!" she giggled.  
  
Harry opened his other envelope and pulled out a badge. "It looks as though you've been made Head Boy, Harry...." Ron said while finishing his pancakes.  
  
"Yes... it does doesn't it...." Harry said thoughtfully as he shined up the badge some more. "I don't feel like I should wear this though..."  
  
"Oh, go on, Harry.... You're Head Boy! You can do all sorts of things now!" Ginny said with a smile. She reached up and gave him a kiss on his cheek.  
  
"As if he couldn't before...." Astra muttered. "So... when are we going to Diagon Alley, eh?"  
  
"After Breakfast, dearie..." Mrs. Weasley said. "I love the pictures you drew me, Astra...." she smiled at her.  
  
"Yer welcome, Mrs. Weasley."  
  
"Anymore sweetness and I'll have to hose it down....." Draco muttered as he walked into the kitchen. He sat down next to Astra and wrapped a arm around her waist possessively.   
  
"And we all know that you have problems being around nice people..." Astra said impatiently. Draco drew her closer to him and smiled down at her. Her cheeks twinged pink and she went back to eating.  
  
"I find it very interesting to have Lucius Malfoy's son staying here with us..." said Mr. Weasley mildly. "How has your time away from home been?"  
  
Draco looked like he was debating whether to ignore Mr. Weasley, say something rude to Mr. Weasley, or be a good boy and keep his mouth shut. He seemed to settle on the latter. Mr. Weasley smiled at Astra and winked. "You have him trained already...."  
  
"Doesn't take too long, really... once he learned that I don't tolerate his attitude towards you, he learned to just keep his trap shut..." Astra said mildly.  
  
"Astra.... do you have to keep talking about me like I'm some sort of pet...?" Draco said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Draco.... you ARE a pet....! Now be a good boy and you'll get a treat later...." Astra said quickly. She blushed when Nevaeh started grinning at her and waggled her eyebrows.  
  
When they finished breakfast, everyone got dressed and came downstairs to the living room. "We'll need to get some more floo powder, Arthur." Mrs. Weasley said as she took out a handful of sparkling dust.  
  
She threw the floo powder in and the fire grew and changed colors. "Arthur.... you first...." Mr. Weasley walked into the fire and disappeared.  
  
They each walked in until it was Harry's turn. He hated traveling though the floo network. He always ended up swallowing a mouthful of ash when he did it. He was surprised he had not gotten sick from it.  
  
He walked into the fire and shouted. "Diagon Alley!" He got a mouthful of ash as he shouted. He choked as he fell through the fire. He twisted and spun, holding his arms in close to his body.  
  
He started feeling sick and fell out onto hard floor. He opened his eyes and found everything to be slightly blurry. His glasses had fallen off. He found them and picked them up. He glanced around where he had landed. He wasn't with the others.  
  
He was in a familiar store with walls full of small boxes. He stood up and tried to brush his clothes off. He got most of the soot off of him, but most of it stayed on him. He sighed in defeat.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
Harry was startled by the voice. He was even more startled by someone on a moving ladder show up in his view. Mr. Ollivander smiled down at Harry. "Interesting to see you again, Harry...."  
  
Harry gulped and smiled up at Mr. Ollivander. "Can you tell me if you saw the Weasleys pass by here yet?"  
  
"No.... I have not..." Mr. Ollivander stepped off of the ladder and showed himself to be much shorter than Harry remembered him to be. "You are not in here to buy a wand..." he said mildly.  
  
"N-no... I got lost...." He started heading for the door.   
  
"You should be more observant about where you land...."   
  
Harry didn't see anything he had been on except floor. He didn't break anything that he could see. "I'm sorry... but I don't--"  
  
"They are here today..... be on the watch..." Mr. Ollivander stared at Harry with those eyes of his and disappeared around a box covered wall.  
  
Harry shook his head and walked out the door. Mr. Ollivander had a way of making Harry's head hurt if he tried to understand.   
  
He caught sight of fiery hair and walked over to it. Ron was walking with Hermione. Ginny was walking with her mother. Mr. Weasley was looking around until his face turned to Harry. "There he is!" He waved at Harry.  
  
"Good grief, Harry! You did it to us again!" Mrs. Weasley said as Harry jogged over. She started brushing off the soot from his shoulders. "You need to be more careful!"  
  
"I'm fine! I just landed in Mr. Ollivander's shop." Harry said.  
  
They went into Gringotts and Harry watched with a sickly feeling as Mrs. Weasley grabbed some money from their vault. He hated having them there when he went into his vault.  
  
He tried to block the way into his vault as he piled some money into his money bag. Harry's face was pink as he closed the vault. Ginny smiled sympathetically and put an arm around him.  
  
Hermione changed her muggle money for wizarding money and joined them at the entrance. "What about you, Nevaeh? Astra? Kennedy? Vee?" Mr. Weasley asked.  
  
"My family vault is in America. I brought my own money with me." Astra said. Avalon brought out her own purse and smiled.  
  
"Same..." Nevaeh said.  
  
"What's going on again?" Kennedy said. His smile was enough to make you wonder how this boy ever survived to be a seventh year. Suddenly, realization showed on his face. "Oh! You were talking about money... well... my brother gave me a bunch of money and I had it changed in America."  
  
"Hope it's enough..." Astra muttered. "His bother is a tightwad and a half!"  
  
Kennedy smiled and put a protective hand on Avalon's shoulder. Astra and Nevaeh giggled as Avalon blushed furiously.  
  
Harry broke off with Ginny and they headed off towards Madame Malkin's. Ginny and Harry both got their robes refitted. Harry met up with Hermione and Ron at Flourish and Blotts. "We need...."  
  
"Standard book of spells year seven...." Hermione said.  
  
Harry looked at his list again.   
  
  
  
Defense Against Dark Creatures by Angie Thomas  
  
Dark Spells and What they Do by Flit Wyngard  
  
Book of Magical Creatures by Keathar Tail  
  
Standard Book of Spells year Seven  
  
Transfiguration year seven  
  
Dreaming and Signs by Dale Tripping  
  
  
  
When they got their books they headed toward Florean Fortescue's for some ice cream. Astra showed up with Nevaeh and Draco. Avalon came up behind her with Kennedy, who was munching on something happily.  
  
Draco fidgeted some as he released Astra's hold on him. "What are you doing, Draco..." She sighed.  
  
"I felt something....." He said. He shook his head. "Nothing..."  
  
"Ickle Draco is having a spaz attack, eh?" Astra said as she pinched his cheek. She kissed his cheek and smiled at him. "You've gotta be my worst mistake ever...." she muttered.  
  
"Okay, children! Let's head home!" Mr. Weasley shouted. Then, they all went to the Leaky cauldron and went back to the Burrow. 


	4. Love on the Train!

A/N: All right... this usually happens when I go searching around Jp HP sites on the web. I usually end up on some slash porn site at least once. I've gotten kind of used to it, really, so it's no big deal when I end up on one. I usually just click out of it and go on. This time, on the title page, there was this hilarious picture of Harry getting somewhat groped.   
  
Since when does Harry have boobs?  
  
The picture had Harry with boobies! I don't believe this! I laughed for a few minutes and I somewhat wish I could have printed it out. It was too funny to pass up. I have to show Celia this thing.   
  
By the way... I'm sorry ahead of time for the excessive amount of love love stuff in here. I had a moment, so I went with it! -.-*  
  
  
Chapter Four  
  
  
  
  
Harry woke up early and walked down the stairs into the Kitchen. He was all packed up and ready to go to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. He saw Ginny sitting at the breakfast table eating her meal with her hair up in two braids. She looked cute.  
  
"You look cute with your hair like that." Harry said softly. She blushed slightly and continued to eat.   
  
Two limousines pulled up to the house. Harry wondered what was going on when Mr. Weasley walked the stairs trying to put on a tie. "Ah... they're here early..." he said mildly.  
  
"What's going on, dad?" Ron said.  
  
"The Ministry was worried about that incident in Diagon Alley and figured that we ought to have a ride to the Train station." Mr. Weasley said.  
  
"Ah... at last, some civilized transportation!" Draco sneered. Ron went pink in his ears and glared at him.  
  
Astra stamped on his foot. Draco's eyes crossed and he slowly bent down as he fell onto the floor in pain. "I told you once before Draco.... be nice...."  
  
When they finished Breakfast, they each brought out their trunks and placed them into the cars. Then, they piled into the cab and waited. Astra stretched out and sighed. She had always wanted to be in a limousine. Draco was sitting across from her. She noticed that he blushed slightly and smirked.  
  
"What are you smirking at, Draco...." Astra muttered sternly.  
  
"Your bra was showing.... I rather like the color blue on you." He smiled broadly at her. Nevaeh and Avalon made a face at him.  
  
Kennedy sat across from Avalon. "Soo... I wonder what this year has in store for us..."   
  
"Knowing our luck?" Nevaeh said.  
  
"Horrible nightmares." Astra finished.  
  
Harry was with Mr. Weasley in the second limousine. Mrs. Weasley was staying behind. Ginny sat with Hermione on the other side of the cab and he sat with Ron and Mr. Weasley.  
  
When they reached the station, Harry noticed Remus was talking to Sirius on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Harry wondered what was going on. Then, he remembered that Sirius had said that he and Remus were going to come to see Harry off to Hogwarts.  
  
Harry loaded his trunk onto the train and walked over to Sirius and Remus. "I do hate that thing, Sirius... I don't like that motorcycle...." Remus said with a grimace.   
  
"Aw.... a little afraid are we?"  
  
"Yeah..." Remus said looking a bit impatient with Sirius. He noticed Harry and smiled. "Hello, Harry... how are you?"  
  
"I'm about to go onto the train... I wanted to say goodbye..." Harry said with a smile.  
  
Remus hugged Harry and backed off some as Sirius got off of his motorcycle and hugged Harry as well. "Don't worry about us... we'll be fine... It won't be long until you see us again, anyway.." Sirius said with a grin.  
  
Harry smiled and walked back to the train. Ginny met up with him and wrapped an arm around his waist. He put his hand on her waist and relished her closeness. "I do love this.." he muttered. He glanced down at Ginny and she blushed. He kissed her lips lightly and helped her onto the train.  
  
They found a compartment and Ginny sat down on a seat. Harry sat down next to her and she grabbed his shirt and brought him closer to her. Her mouth closed over his own and he felt himself joining her in this bliss.  
  
His mouth moved against hers and deepened their kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer to him. He hadn't been able to feel like this in ages. He missed her hair, the taste of her, the feel of her against him.  
  
He brought her legs over his lap, drawing her ever closer. He entangled his hands in her hair, fiery locks flowing over his hands. He felt as though his heart were going to burst out of his chest.  
  
"Achem... there's an audience here, if you two don't mind terribly...."   
  
Harry wished for something to throw at Ron. Ron grinned madly at Harry and walked over to the other seat where Hermione sat down next to him. Hermione was flushed. "What's wrong with you, Hermione?"  
  
"N-nothing..." she said quickly. "Hard work trying to get my trunk onto the train, is all..." she said.  
  
"Sorry, Ron... I just haven't had the opportunity to actually be with Harry for a while..." Ginny said apologetically.  
  
"It was like to animals trying to eat each other's faces off..." Ron said mildly. Harry glared at him.  
  
"Like it doesn't look worse with you and Hermione?" Harry managed to say without sounding nasty about it. Ron's ears went pink and Hermione blushed a deeper shade of pink than before.  
  
Astra sat in a compartment with Draco. Avalon, Nevaeh and Kennedy wee out changing into their robes. She had already changed into them when they had reached the platform, as did Draco.   
  
She leaned against him and sighed. She closed her eyes and listened to his heart. The steady rhythm was making her doze off.  
  
The compartment door opened suddenly and she heard a familiar scoff. "I don't believe this... as if you couldn't sink any lower, Draco..." Pansy Parkinson declared.  
  
"Are you saying that I was sinking low being with you?" Draco said in that drawling voice of his.  
  
Astra kept her eyes shut tightly. She wanted to know how this was going to play out. Pansy finally said something after a full minute went by. "You know what she's after... something more than just your pants, Draco..."  
  
Draco's heart seemed to leap a few paces faster. He felt tense against her. "Pansy... I would warn you that if you are suggesting that she is a money grabbing whore, very much like yourself, I would be very far away from me right now..."  
  
"Pish posh, Draco... she's exactly that! She's poor, that's why she is snuggling up to you so tightly..." Pansy said.  
  
"One more word out of you, Pansy.... and I'll personally bankrupt you...." Draco growled low in his chest. If it weren't for Pansy, Astra would have noticed the chills that went up her spine at the sound.  
  
Pansy growled and stalked out of the compartment. The door slammed shut and Astra lifted her head from her heaven. "Huh? What happened?" she said trying to sound drowsy.  
  
"Nothing that I couldn't deal with... though you would be nicer if you didn't snore like you did just then...." he smirked at her.  
  
"I don't sno--"  
  
Draco lips pressed against hers. His hands held her face to his and all she could manage was small moan as he deepened their connection. She placed her hands on his. His skin was soft.   
  
He leaned them both back until she was lying on top of him. Her form was curled on top of him like a kitten. His hands found her waist and they caressed her through the fabric.  
  
His mouth left hers and trailed kisses down her chin and down her neck. His hands tangled themselves in her hair and pulled her head back some. He kissed at the joint of her jaw, sending shivers through her spine.  
  
Her breathing became rapid. The sensations that pulsated through her were enough to drive a normal person mad, but she wasn't normal. Her heart raced at twice it's original speed as he started sucking on her neck, like vampire.  
  
"Draco...." she managed to say. He lifted his head away from her neck and smiled devilishly.   
  
"Now you are marked by me..." he smirked. "I gave you a hickey..." He drawled.  
  
Astra's face felt flushed. She knew that she must be the brightest shade of pink that was possible. Her mind was in a haze. Then, it hit her as to what he had said. "A what?! Good lord! People are going to see that! It looks like a myopic vampire bat tried to pull a new fling on me!" She hit him on his chest and crawled off of him.  
  
He sat up and grinned madly at her. That smile was driving things into her spined that she couldn't even describe. She reined in her feelings and straightened her posture. "Do you want to give me one? Mark me as yours?"  
  
Astra managed a glance at him. She stared hard at his white neck and gulped.   
  
Draco took her hands and brought her closer to him. She couldn't help it. He brought her face to his and kissed her lips for the briefest moment. Then, he brought her to his neck as he loosened his tie and collar. "Go on...." he said softly.  
  
She closed her eyes and calmed her pounding heart. She kissed his skin lightly. He smelled wonderfully. Then, she claimed his neck. It wasn't hard to do. It just felt damned uncomfortable sitting in an exposed position like this where anyone could look in.   
  
"I know this must be hard for you to do, but... we would like to sit down without gagging....." came Nevaeh's familiar sarcasm.  
  
Astra growled and sat up. She glared at Nevaeh dangerously and Nevaeh paled as she sank into her seat uncomfortably. "You know you do it to George!" Astra growled impatiently.  
  
"True..." Nevaeh said thoughtfully.  
  
Avalon stared at Astra intently. Then, she smiled and stared out the window. Astra wondered what went through her sister's mind. What had she been thinking of just then?  
  
"Anyone for a game of exploding snap? I just learned how to play it from Ron..." Kennedy said with a gleeful smile. Draco yawned and rolled his eyes.  
  
Astra brought her collar up around the mark. She hoped that no one would see it. In her mind, it was now sacred. Anyone who saw it, would have to be burned at the stake.   
  
The train came up to Hogsmeade station and everyone started getting off. When they made it to the castle, Harry sat down with Ginny. He had on his Head Boy badge and hoped that Colin Creevy didn't try to take any pictures of him.  
  
"This year.... first year students will note that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to anyone who doesn't want to die a horrible death..." Professor Dumbledore said to the entire great hall.  
  
"I also want you all to take note.... of two new teachers in our midst...." He said with a flourish. He pointed to two empty seats. "For Defence Against the Dark Arts, there is Professor Sirius Black...."  
  
There were a few gasps, but Professor Dumbldore held his hands up to silence everyone. "I know that you are not aware that he has been pardoned for his crimes. They found the real culprit and Sirius Black was able to go back into society..."  
  
Sirius walked up to one of the two empty chairs and sat down. He waved at Harry happily and turned his gaze to Professor Dumbldore.   
  
"For Care of Magical Creatures.... Professor Remus Lupin...."  
  
There was such a clamor from the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables that the sound was earsplitting. Professor Lupin appeared next to Sirius and sat down. He smiled at everyone including Professor Snape who sat two seats down the table from Sirius. Snape sneered at them.  
  
"Alright... now... let us eat...."  
  
The tables were filled with food. Harry grabbed some chicken and placed it on his plate. Ginny was eating the chicken as well and almost the same manner. She blushed when she looked up at him. She had a piece of chicken in her mouth from which she just ripped off.  
  
"A nice turn on, eh? Animal girl! Go get 'im!" Astra's voice came from down the table. She laughed loudly and Harry had to join, although, he was sure he was as red as Ginny now.  
  
Harry wasn't sure, but he thought he saw something on her neck. He saw that she noticed him staring and she blushed furiously and pulled her collar up higher. "Infidel! You shall not see the sacred mark! DIE!"  
  
She tossed a piece of carrot and hit him between the eyes. "Bulls eye!" She laughed. Harry grimaced at her.  
  
"You aren't getting off that easily...." he said as he picked up a piece of celery. He threw it and it hit the top of her head.   
  
"ACK! He's attacking me with rabbit food!" she wailed in a sarcastic manner. Then, she laughed and went back to eating.   
  
The night went normally as Harry readied himself to have to make sure the common room was empty before he could go to bed. He was tired and wanted to sleep. Hermione said she would check the rest of the area and let him get some sleep. He protested a bit, but he could barely see straight, so he obliged and stumbled up the boys staircase to the dorms. 


	5. What Happens When You Aren't a Guy

A/N: Okay... pretty soon... I'll be posting up my new series. I was thinking about doing it AFTER I finish this series because it takes place after HP AK trilogy. I still have a few kinks to work out anyway.... like... what sex the antagonist be and the back ground behind them. I already have the protagonist.... it's a girl.  
  
I just saw the preview for CoS! ACK! What happened! Did Daniel Radcliffe become kinda sexy over night! Good Lord.... It's not his face, though he's growin' up to be a very good looking guy, but his voice dropped to a nice growl... No wonder that one girl showed up outside the production building in nothing more than a towel holding up that sign that said "I love Harry Potter/Daniel Radcliffe!"  
  
I also enjoyed watching Draco get thrown through the air..... but I can't wait to watch Prof. Lockheart (Y'know... it's really difficult to say that name when there's a town near where you live that bears the same name....) Get tossed around a bit!  
  
My friend Celia says that the guy who played Tavington in the Patriot (who's playing Lady Lovely Locks Lucius Malfoy) looks like an older and sinister version of Legolas in the shot of him in the previews.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Five  
  
  
  
Astra got up the next morning and went down to breakfast with Nevaeh. She saw Avalon walking with Kennedy in the hallway. Astra nudged Nevaeh and indicated the opportunity.  
  
She and Nevaeh walked up behind them and pushed past them on either side of the pair. "Sorry, Vee!" Astra said with a smile. Avalon was caught by Kennedy around her waist.   
  
Astra laughed as she saw the redness come to her sister's cheeks as she rushed herself off. "S-sorry, Kennedy....." Avalon could be heard stammering.  
  
Harry was fingering the potion that Astra and Nevaeh had given him. He wondered what it was supposed to do. He saw Draco coming down the hallway with his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle. "What do you want us to do, Draco?"  
  
"Why don't you do something useful and pester a few Hufflepuffs. I'm about to be busy in a few minutes." He said with a smirk.  
  
"Not in this lifetime, Draco...." Harry said with a smile while he waited beside the doors to the Great Hall. He was thinking of his would-be guinea pig.  
  
Astra walked around the corner and saw Draco. She blushed and brought her collar up higher. Draco noticed her and smirked that evil grin of his. He was seduction in human form, in Astra's opinion. "Yer a bit too laid back, Draco... you could do with some reining in...." Astra said as she welcomed Draco's arms around her.   
  
Draco kissed her on her lips gently. "And who could possibly have those reins, little star...?"  
  
Astra started walking toward the Great Hall when she spotted Harry. She waved at him. "Harry! What's up, guy?!"  
  
Harry was startled out of the possibilities of the potion in his hand by Astra. He smiled at her and straightened up. "Not much.. Just wondering about your gift...."  
  
"Hey! I did half the work!" Nevaeh pouted as she put her fists on her round hips. "Give credit where it's due!"  
  
"Alright, Nev.... Thank you as well...." Hary smiled.  
  
Nevaeh smiled back in a satisfied way and walked through the doorway. Harry went back to leaning against it. "I'm waiting for Ginny, actually." He said casually.  
  
Just then, the door opened. Harry lost his grip on the bottle as he fell forward and ran into both Astra and Draco. He felt something splash on him and there was an odd feeling in his nose. Like he needed to sneeze.  
  
"Ah, hell! This is just great!" Astra growled as she stood up. There was some liquid on her as well. "As if I needed this to happen to me on my first day back!"  
  
"What the bloody hell happened!" Draco growled as he bushed his hair out of his face. "I feel strange...."  
  
"So do I... I need to...t-to.. Ah... Ah...ACHOO!"   
  
Draco sneezed along with Harry. Harry opened his eyes and saw Astra looking rather irritated. She was different somehow. Harry suddenly realized why. She seemed taller now, the same height in fact. "Astra? Did you get taller?"  
  
"N-no... she didn't get taller... we both got shorter...." Draco stammered in shock. Harry glanced over at him and received quite a shock himself. In Draco's place was a pale girl with a pointed face and short silvery hair.   
  
Astra suddenly sneezed loudly. Her entire head flew forward from the sneeze. "Damn it! I sneeze louder than a Klingon!" she growled. Except, when her head lifted and she was rubbing her nose, it wasn't Astra.  
  
There was a very tall boy in front of him with shoulder length whitish hair and glasses. He was wearing Astra's uniform and it looked rather tight on him. "Astra? Is that you?" Harry stammered out. He noticed his voice had become higher.  
  
"Who else, stupid...." she sniffled. "This is deffinantly the last thing I need...."  
  
Harry was still confused. He looked down at his body and saw something that made him nearly faint. He was thinner and he had breasts. Women's breasts! "Great God..." he muttered.  
  
"Okay... Astra? What the bloody hell was in that bottle that you and Nevaeh conjured up?" Harry said in a rush.  
  
"You know, Harry... you don't look that bad as a girl...." Draco said in the same drawling voice, although it was higher.  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy!" Harry growled.  
  
"I dubbed it the Ranma potion. It changes your sex whenever you sneeze or hiccup...." Astra said in an irritated voice. "I was hoping you could teach a few Slytherins a lesson..."  
  
"So if I sneeze... I turn into a girl?" Draco drawled. "Grand...." He sounded slightly amused.  
  
"What happens when we hiccup? Do we turn back to our original state?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
Harry had a sinking feeling that would've done the Titanic justice. "How long do we stay like this? You know... going on with the constant changing?"  
  
"Depends on when the stuff wears off...." Astra shrugged. "I don't get into specifics on time when it comes to my inventions."  
  
"The biggest understatement of the year...." Draco said mildly. "Could I change into something different? I don't know when I'm going to hiccough, so I might as well get comfortable."  
  
"Good idea... coming from you, Malfoy..." Harry said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Harry... I think you can wear my uniform... I think I'm now the same size as you." she said. She still looked like a boy, Although, now, Harry could see her elfin ears.   
  
They changed uniforms and went down to the Great Hall. "Nevaeh's gonna have a field day with this...." Astra grumbled.  
  
They walked into the Great Hall and everyone turned to see the late comers. Harry had seen his reflection in the girls bathroom mirror. He still had his wayward short hair and his green eyes, but he was decidedly more feminine. He could even say that he looked rather cute.  
  
Draco still had his short hair as well and his diamond earrings. He had looked rather pretty before, but now his resemblance was closer to that of Fluer Delacour having a bad hair day.  
  
Astra reminded Harry of the younger version of her father, except for her ears and hair. She had tied her hair back in exasperation. She fit perfectly in Harry's uniform.   
  
"I think it would be a good idea for you to sit over here with us, Draco..." Astra hissed. "It'll be safer for you...."  
  
"Now who's taking the role of the knight in shining armor..." Draco smirked with a pink pair of feminine lips.  
  
"What are you talking about... I've always had that role... I wouldn't trust you with it for all the tea in Japan!" Astra said in an irritated manner.  
  
They sat down at the Gryffindor table and Ron nearly choked on his food. "Bloody hell!" he coughed.  
  
"Harry? Is that you?" asked Hermione.  
  
This was the part Harry was dreading. Ginny turned and the color drained from her face. "H-harry?"  
  
"Wow! Who's the pretty elf boy?" asked Nevaeh. "You look like Legolas from Lord of the Rings...."  
  
"Hush up, Nev... Harry accidentally got the potion on all three of us...." Astra growled. Her voice was very low now.  
  
Draco started hanging off of Astra's arm in a way that resembled Pansy. "Oh my knight! My knight! Save me from such a horrible fate!" He said in a faint voice.  
  
Astra blushed and growled down at Draco. "Let go of me, you pale faced idiot!"  
  
Harry had fun watching Astra try to pry Draco from her body. Draco seemed to cling onto her in every way possible. Like a leech.  
  
"I give up... go ahead...." She finally said in defeat. She sighed heavily and resigned to having Draco playing the loving girlfriend. She reminded Harry of Ron when Hermione got emotional.  
  
Professor McGonagall showed up behind Draco and Astra. "What seems to be going on here?"  
  
Professor Snape was there as well with an evil grin on his face. "It looks like something back fired.... didn't it, Mr.... or should I say... MISS Potter..."  
  
Harry wanted to deck him. He wanted to see Snape on the floor in a bloody mess, but he restrained himself. Sirius and Professor Lupin showed up with amused smiled on their faces.  
  
"Now this is truely interesting.... who made this potion?" Professor Lupin asked with a smile.  
  
Astra raised her hand in a defeated manner. "Go ahead... it can't be any worse than being treated like a play thing by numb nuts here...." Astra said glumly.   
  
"I don't exactly have those regions anymore... although you seem to..." Draco said with an evil smile. Astra gulped and blushed.  
  
"Don't so that! I don't have control of this body yet!" Astra protested.  
  
"I think that this potion was going to be used on my house.... thirty points from Gryffindor, I should think..." Professor Snape said with a sneer.  
  
Sirius looked as though he were going to bludgeon Snape with a blunt object. Professor Lupin gave a smile and helped Harry out of his seat. "I think this should be investigated... maybe we can--"  
  
"Come up with an antidote? I doubt it... it wasn't meant to have one..." Astra said still obviously trying to avoid Draco's gaze.  
  
"Still... there has to be something that can be done..." Sirius said.  
  
"Unfortunately.... I agree with Mr. Knight here.... He's one of my best students... unfortunately...." Professor Snape said in a soft voice.  
  
"Is there a problem--Ah! Mr. Potter... Mr. Malfoy... Miss Knight... How are you..." Professor Dumbledore said with a smile. Harry could've buried his head somewhere now.  
  
"I see... well... You don't look like it has harmed any of you, so you don't need to see Madame Pomfrey...." Professor Dumbledore said calmly. "I suggest that you keep together so that you can dress appropriately if anything occurs."  
  
"Like my turning back into a man...." Harry said glumly. Astra's depression was traveling onto him.  
  
"Or being able to move without this git being an ass about it..." Astra said. The irritation was back again. "You do realize that he's only doing this because he knows he can get away with it."  
  
"Well... here are your class schedules.." Professor McGonagall said with a sigh. She handed Harry and Astra their class schedules. Snape handed Draco his schedule as well.  
  
The first class was Divination. Harry kept watching Professor Trelawny readjust her glasses and rub her temples in a bewildered fashion. It was somewhat amusing if Harry wasn't being stared at by a Ravenclaw boy.  
  
The Ravenclaw boy scooted over to Harry and smiled impishly. "Hey... you look very nice. I don't think I've ever seen you before...."  
  
Harry tried to ignore him, but the boy just leaned in closer. "I like your eyes... they're like emeralds..."  
  
There was suddenly a pair of arms that wrapped around Harry's shoulders from behind him. He looked up and saw Astra looking very annoyed. Her shoulder length hair was loose from it's ponytail and brushed Harry's face. "She's with me..." Astra said in a low growl.  
  
The color drained from the Ravenclaw's face and he backed off. Astra shook her head and let go of Harry. He didn't mind her holding him. It was rather comforting and felt really nice.... Harry slapped himself hard. The female hormones were starting to affect him.  
  
Astra leaned back and sighed. "You know... I don't think I mind this a whole lot... It's kinda fun..." She said in her usually cheerful manner.  
  
After lunch, Harry went outside with his friends. They sat on the grass and watched the clouds pass overhead. Astra was sitting with her legs crossed. Draco had latched onto her again and seemed to be having the time of his life.  
  
"I wonder if this says anything about his mental state..." Ron said mildly. Draco suddenly stared at Ron. Ron's face split in a wide grin. "I mean... if you make a better girl than a guy... doesn't that mean you could be gay?"  
  
Ron was on the ground in a second. Astra had punched him so hard, that Ron was thrown a good few feet away. She looked like she could melt titanium with her steel like gaze. "I don't care what body he has... he is Draco.... and he has that same perverse sense of humor that he likes to practice..." She growled.   
  
"In other words... I'm not gay, prat...." Draco said in way that reminded him of Pansy.   
  
"Owie.... that bleedin' hurt!" Ron said as he rubbed his jaw painfully.   
  
"You deserved it..." Astra said still glaring at him.   
  
After that incident, Draco didn't seem to hang on Astra quite as much. In their next class, Transfiguration, the Slytherins were in the same class. Pansy seemed to do the hanging on Astra. "You look very pretty...." she said dreamily to Astra. Astra just grunted an answer and went back to work. Pansy did not seem put off.  
  
Draco, however, looked like he could cause Pansy to explode any moment by glaring at her. "Go away, Parkinson... He's mine..." Suddenly, Draco pulled Astra's collar down and pointed to the now very visible hickey.  
  
Astra blushed a brilliant pink and struggled to get away from Draco. "Get offa me!" Pansy just growled.  
  
"I severely doubt that..." Pansy said stiffly. She narrowed her eyes at Draco maliciously.  
  
Astra pulled her collar up higher and walked over to Harry's seat. Neville was sitting next to Harry, but that didn't matter. Astra was thoroughly embarrassed now.   
  
"So that's what that is..." Harry whispered.  
  
"Five points from Slytherin and Gryffindor... I need quiet in here...." Professor McGonagall said mildly.  
  
"Leave me alone, Har... It was Draco's idea..." she said angrily. "I'm gonna kill him later..."  
  
"I don't doubt it.." 


	6. Quidditch Practice

A/N: Okay... I've decided to draw Harriet until I feel at such time to write it out. It always works out better that way.. That's how I did this... well... sort of... I did that with fifth and sixth year. Seventh was only half done.  
  
Anyway... I WANT THAT CoS SOUNDTRACK! AAAARGH! I can't wait 'till it comes out. Rargh.... -.-*  
  
And yes... Draco is having fun messing with Astra like this... she puts up with it because she loves the guy, but that's the only reason. Harry's gonna have an interesting time.... Although, I think right now he could be called Harriet.....  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Six  
  
  
  
  
  
Bedding arrangements was a little awkward. Harry and Draco ended up sleeping in the girls dorm for the time being until they hiccoughed and changed back. Astra slept in the boys dorm, not for the first time.  
  
Ginny and Hermione helped Harry figure out how to wear a bra and helped him with sleeping clothes. "Go ahead and barrow a set of my pajamas Harry." Ginny said as she handed him her pajamas.  
  
Draco was no where in sight while this was going on. Harry briefly wondered where he had gone until Ginny got in his face. She was holding his head in a bracing manner. Harry stared back into her brown eyes. "Wha?"  
  
"I was wondering...." she trailed off. Harry's brain went into overtime. He blushed as he thought about what she was wondering about with her face so close to his female face. "I wonder what would make you hiccup...." she said finally. Harry nearly fell off the bed.  
  
"Oh that...." Harry said in a shaky voice as he got back onto the bed. "I don't know... I guess it'll happen when it does..."  
  
Astra was having her own problems. Her male body was something she had to get used to. She was bigger and bulkier than she was as a girl. She still had a feminine look to her, though.   
  
She put on Harry's pajamas and settled into bed. Seamus and Dean were already snoring away. Ron and Kennedy were asleep as well. Neville was the only one still awake aside from Astra. He sat on his bed, staring at Astra oddly.  
  
"What's wrong, Neville..." Astra said in her now rather deep voice.  
  
"It's just very odd... I'm so used to seeing Harry sleeping there." Neville said.  
  
"Harry is having her own problems right now..." Astra had taken to using the female pronoun when talking about Harry now. "Mainly being in the same room as Draco....Go to sleep Neville... everything will be alright... eventually..."  
  
Neville nodded and slipped under his covers. Astra sat up in her bed and stared around. She waited until everything went quiet and slid under her covers as well. She was tired from the day she had. All day she had been trying to avoid most of the girls in the other houses. Was she that desirable looking now, she wondered. She doubted it.  
  
Something slipped under her nightshirt and held her close. Her eyes snapped open and she tried to move, but whomever had her, had a good grip. She struggled and finally sat up. Laying next to her was a girl with short silvery hair and a wide grin.  
  
"Draco... you are going to get killed if you keep goin' like this!" Astra hissed at the female Draco. He just kept grinned.   
  
"Yer screwed up, you know that... Are you some kind of closet queen, or something?" Astra huffed.  
  
"I'm nothing of the sort... you are a boy now and I am a girl... there's nothing strange about that.... you are still mine..." Draco said as he sat up. He was wearing what looked to be Astra's own pajamas.   
  
Draco pushed Astra back onto the bed. "Wha?" Astra managed to gasp as Draco covered her mouth with his. Astra responded by throwing Draco off of her.  
  
Draco climbed to his feet. "I see... so it's going to get interesting isn't it... you're a little mixed..."  
  
Astra just stared at Draco. He was slightly blurry because she didn't have her glasses on. Draco walked back to Astra and took a hold of her face. He held it close to his and smiled. "I think I better go back to bed before that Granger girl catches me in here... Good night.... Astra..." Draco kissed Astra's lips gently and walked out of the room.  
  
At breakfast, Harry, Draco and Astra suddenly hiccoughed in unison. "This is good... this is really good..." Astra had mumbled.   
  
"Everyone under the table before every one sees us...." Harry said quickly. The other tables weren't looking over at them.  
  
Harry handed Astra the uniform he was wearing and Harry quickly put on his own uniform. Astra handed Draco his uniform Ron had handed her from his seat. "Is everything alright down there?" Hermione asked from above.   
  
Harry climbed back to his seat beside Ginny. She blushed as he nearly came up between her knees. "Sorry about that, Ginny..."  
  
"It's alright..." she said as she blushed to the roots of her hair.  
  
"This is a rather interesting potion, Astra... who was it originally for?" Draco said mildly. There was a twinge of a sneer to his smile.  
  
"Pansy... I didn't think Harry would go after you, Draco..." Astra said as she ate some eggs.  
  
"Apparently...." he drawled as he ate some breakfast. He turned to Ron. "So, Weasley... where did you store my uniform? In that dilapidated bag of yours?"  
  
Draco was suddenly hit by a book from Astra's hand. Ron smirked in satisfaction. "It was in Astra's bag... she was the one that was keeping it nice and folded for you...."  
  
"Grand..."  
  
Defense Against the Dark Arts was interesting. Sirius seemed to have the time of his life making people call him "Professor Black". Harry listened as Sirius told them about fighting against deatheaters, making a few of the girls gasp.  
  
"No, no, no! Don't be afraid! They can't touch me!" Sirius said with a grin. "I helped the great Auror Mad-eye Moody with a few of them before You-Know-Who went away."  
  
At lunch, Astra and Draco sat eating quietly. Harry talked with Ron, Hermione and Ginny. As Astra started to put some food into her mouth, Draco tugged on her arm. "Come on... I want to do something..." Draco said softly to her. That chill went down her spine again.  
  
He dragged her to an empty classroom and closed the door. "Draco... I'm not going to be privy to your little games... well... not yet..."  
  
"I have something for you." He said quietly as he walked over to her. He was inches away from her when he took out something. It was a small box. "Open it..."  
  
Astra stared up at him in wonderment. She opened the box and it was a silvery cladough ring. The heart was made of a dark red stone that looked black in the lack of light. She gazed up at him again. "What's this about?"  
  
"Wear it..." Draco took her left hand and put the ring onto her third finger. "It's a promise ring.... Wear it until it becomes something different.."  
  
Astra stared at him. Then, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him fervently. He held her around her waist, holding her to his body. When she broke away from his mouth, she held his ear to her. "I love you...." she said as quietly as she could.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Over the next few days, Harry had to deal with more than his share of switching. At one point, during Care of Magical Creatures, He changed into a girl right beside Susan Bones, who could've collapsed at the sight of Harry.  
  
In another incident, Draco had turned into a girl right in the middle of Potions beside Astra. Pansy's gasp of surprise could be heard clear across the room. At the same moment, Astra turned into a boy and ended up listening to Professor Snape growl out Gryffindor losing points.  
  
When the weekend finally came, Harry had become quite tired of constantly changing clothes. The changes had become rather frequent during the week, now they were becoming few in between. Harry wondered when the potion would wear off.  
  
He was in his female body right now as he tried to fly his broom through a little Quidditch practice. His robes and padding were hanging off of him as he tried to make a grab for the snitch.  
  
"HOLD ON!" Harry shouted as he grounded his broom. He walked over to Astra and nodded to her. She sighed and walked with him to the changing room.  
  
"I hate this... I hate this... I really hate this...." Astra kept muttering as she made herself sneeze after she had taken off her quidditch uniform and robes. Harry watched as she suddenly grew into his uniform. It was bizarre to watch.  
  
"There now... happy?" She growled in the now very male voice. She tied her hair back and grabbed her broom in a huff. "I hate this... I hate this....I hate this...."  
  
They began playing again and Harry could function in Astra's robes. Directing his broom was an odd sensation. He much lighter now, so his broom was going faster than it had ever done in the past.  
  
"Watch it, Harry! You nearly knocked me off of my broom!" Ron shouted as Harry rounded the goal post.  
  
"Go Harry!" shouted Ginny from her place. Kennedy handed her the quaffle as Harry rounded beside her.  
  
Harry stopped his broom when he suddenly heard something clicking madly in the stands. He looked down and saw Colin Creevy taking pictures. "Great Moves, Harry! Great moves!" He smiled and waved gleefully at Harry. Harry growled and swooped down to grab for his camera, but a sudden pain hit his head and he fell instead.  
  
"Oh my god! Harry!" He heard Ginny scream. He was surrounded by everyone, he realized when he opened his eyes.  
  
"Harry! Are you alright? Why did you just fall like that!" Ron said frantically.  
  
"Wha...? Pain....pain in my head.... my s-s--" Harry stammered out. There was suddenly a high pitched scream. Harry snapped up dreading what he felt in his stomach. "Colin! Where's Colin!"   
  
"Creevy? He was out here? I never saw him." said Nevaeh.  
  
"Colin? He said he was going to take pictures of Hagrid's house for a scrap book." Dennis Creevy said.  
  
"What? I s-saw him in the stands taking pictures of me!" Harry growled. He stood up and ran to the stands. He mounted his broom and flew up to the stand that he saw Colin in. He wasn't there. "Where?"  
  
Then, he saw something over at Hagrid's hut. Something very still. "Oh God..." He said.  
  
"Oh my God!" cried Astra as she flew up to Harry's level. "He's over there!"  
  
Hermione, who had just gotten to ground level, was screaming. "Harry! Harry!"  
  
Harry helped her onto his broom and everyone flew to Hagrid's Hut. Harry saw Colin come into view. Harry flew to the ground and heard Hermione gasp at the sight of him. He was bloody and battered, but his face was pale and frozen in shock. Like Cedric.  
  
Harry suppressed a shiver as he walked over to Colin. He picked up his camera and looked at it. The lens was broken. "What the hell happened here..." He heard Ron say as the others touched down.  
  
"Harry! Look! There is something on his forehead!" Ginny gasped as she knelt down next to the bloody mess that was Colin.  
  
"Oh God.. Colin!" Denis could be heard next to Hermione.  
  
"What is on his head, Ginny..." Harry said.  
  
"New... what is THAT supposed to mean..." Ginny said.  
  
"Huh? Let me see..." Astra knelt down next to Colin and gazed at his forehead. "Three letters... all upper case... easier to scratch into objects like that... N...E..W.." She said as she traced the letters with her index finger.  
  
"You're a bit morbid, you know that?" Nevaeh said.  
  
"New...." Hermione said.  
  
"Ron... get one of the Professors... Hermione...? Help me with Colin..." Harry said. He lifted Colin's shoulders and Hermione picked up his feet. "Let's take him to the infirmary."  
  
"But he's dead...!" said Ginny.  
  
"It's better than keeping him out here!" Hermione snapped.  
  
They took Colin to the castle. It was a sad journey. Denis kept crying into Ginny's shoulder as Harry and Hermione dragged Colin's body to the hospital wing in a strange funeral procession.  
  
Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Harry and Hermione putting the bloody mess of Colin on the nearest bed. Denis crying heavily into Ginny's shoulder. Ron coming back with Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall. Madame Pomfrey coming out of her office and gasping at the sight of what was left of Colin.  
  
Suddenly, everything came into focus. "Great Merlin! What happened here!" Madame Pomfrey cried.  
  
"Ginny... give Denis to me.... both of you come with me..." McGonagall said hurriedly. Her long black hair wasn't up in a bun as it usually was, it was in a long braid that went over her shoulder.  
  
Harry stared at Colin. The word "NEW" etched into his white forehead screamed at him. He could feel his lunch starting to come up. The smell, the blood... it covered everything.  
  
"Harry? What happened?"   
  
Harry was snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at Dumbledore. It took a few moments to realize why exactly he was looking UP instead of at him. Harry straightened the bra uncomfortably and nodded his head in a sort of bow to Dumbledore.  
  
"What happened Harry...." Dumbledore said again.  
  
Harry could feel tears starting to come to his eyes. He chocked them back and searched for his voice. "We... we found him by Hagrid's hut...." he stammered out.  
  
"How did you know where he was?" Dumbledore said softly.  
  
"We were practicing when I saw Colin in the stands taking pictures of me. He said something and smiled at me.... I was going to... to take his camera away when my head started hurting and I fell. When I came back, I heard a scream. I asked where Colin was and I said I saw him in the stands, but everyone said they never saw him in the stands and they were over in that direction as well... Denis said that Colin told him that he was going to take pictures of Hagrid's hut and that's when I flew up into the air and searched for Colin and found him at Hagrid's hut...." Harry said as quickly as he could.  
  
Dumbledore stared at him in a glazed sort of manner. Harry felt empty. He saw Colin the stands, but why had he seen him there just seconds before he heard Colin scream. "A farewell, I expect...." said Dumbledore, snapping Harry away from his thoughts again.  
  
"A farewell?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "It is documented to happen sometimes. If the person doesn't come back as a ghost, sometimes their spirit shows up to the person they felt most strongly for in their life. Oh they admired, in the case of you Harry.... He felt that you were his friend and so he said goodbye to you before he died...."   
  
Harry felt the tears trying to burst through. Astra came forward. She held Harry to her and whispered to him. "Shhh.... go on...."   
  
Harry grasped onto her and cried hard into her shoulder. Everything seemed to swim away as he let the tears flow through. He listened to Astra's voice as she calmed him. He heard everyone starting to sniffle. Hermione was crying into Ron's shoulder. Nevaeh was crying as she was being held around her shoulders by Kennedy.  
  
Astra led Harry out of the Infirmary and into the hallway. Harry gave a small hiccough and suddenly he was as tall as Astra. He let go of her and dried his eyes with his gloved hand. Suddenly, he sneezed.  
  
"I guess it wore off... you didn't turn back..." Astra said. She was still in male form.  
  
"Yeah... I guess..." Harry said. He looked down at the now too tight, blood stained robes. "Sorry about the stains..." he said.  
  
"Nothing to worry about..." she smiled. She stood up and stretched. "I've got some business to take care of and a score to settle.... bye!" She walked off down the corridor and disappeared.  
  
"Goodbye Colin, you strange little twit..." Harry said softly to no one.  
  
Astra snuck up on Draco and tapped him on the shoulder. He was in male form now and jumped as he screeched like a girl. "ACK! Astra! Don't do that!" He shouted at her.   
  
He backed away and straightened his normal boys uniform. "The potion seems to have worn off. Thank goodness..." He said.  
  
Astra stared at him with her piercing eyes. "You look good in this form..." She said with her low male voice.  
  
Draco stared at her. He looked distinctly ruffled. "What's gotten into you?"  
  
"I just experienced something today that made me want to count my many blessings in life...." Astra said. Her voice was a low, seductive growl. Draco was backing away from her now. She smiled.  
  
"Hey... wait a minute... not out in the hall like this..." he said shakily. There was a small crowd of Slytherin girls coming down the hall.  
  
Astra took the tie out of her hair and her hair fell around her male shoulders. She rushed forward and pulled Draco to her, covering his mouth with hers. There was a small shriek from one of the girls, who sounded distinctly like Pansy. "I knew that you had to be gay!"   
  
Astra felt Draco respond to her kiss. He kissed back passionately as she suddenly felt herself make a small hiccup and shrink. The crowd of girls had not gone away. "Great Merlin... so THAT was what it was..." said a voice that sounded like Millicent Bulstrode.  
  
Astra broke away and grinned up at Draco. He gazed down at her in a dream like state. "Got you back..." she said.  
  
"You know... you look kind of nice in the boy's uniform..." Draco said. "Maybe I am a .. How did you so put it... closet queen?" He said with a grin. Astra stepped on his foot hard and he winced in pain.  
  
"Keep it up, Malformed... I can hit you all day..." she growled. Everything was back to normal. 


	7. Teenage Teachers

A/N: Okay... I know I made a few of you cry with that last chapter... I was listening to a very funeral-esque track on my Enya CD while writing that, so when Dumbledore said that it was a farewell to Harry that Colin did, I started crying while typing it. I'm so pathetic.... T.T  
  
And that whole farewell bit is REALLY rooly and truely a documented happening. I watch waaaaaay too many ghost story things on the History Channel and Discovery Channel. I like watching them, of course, because I'm a morbid personality. HAHAHAHAHAHA! ::achem::  
  
  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
  
  
  
Harry had to schedule the prefect meetings. He hated it, especially this one that he had gotten himself into. This meeting, Hermione was conducting, though everyone wanted to hear from him. "How was the Creevy boy killed again?" asked a Slytherin prefect boy. He had black hair and brown eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry... what's your name again?" asked Harry as he snapped out of his daze.   
  
The boy grimaced. He was a fifth year. "Thomas Edward Nigma..." He said with a cold stare at Harry.  
  
"He was too bloody for me to know... all I know is that he was dead and had the word 'new' etched into his skull..." Harry said a little shortly.  
  
"I don't understand how you can be head boy when you are so short with those of us that are younger...." Thomas said.  
  
"Well, I am, so be nice..." Harry said with a sneer. He was getting irritated by this little upstart. The upstart seemed to be doing this regularly now. Almost like he was testing Harry's patience.  
  
Hermione never said a word. She kept looking at the piece of parchment she had on the table and kept scratching her quill on it like she was going to learn something new from it.  
  
After the meeting, Harry ran into Ginny. She smiled and led him up to the sixth year girls dorm. "I've been waiting all day for this..." she said with a seductive smile.  
  
Harry walked inside and she led him to what seemed to be her bed. He smiled down at her and leaned down as she sat down on the bed. "You are too good to me, Gin..." He said to her.  
  
She smiled and he kissed her. She took off his robe and pulled him closer to her. He was practically on top of her. He kissed her gently, letting her softness lull him back into a calm state. He hated prefect meetings and the Slytherin prefect was put onto his "hit list".  
  
"Ginny.... do you have to do that in here?" asked a familiar voice. Harry cursed softly into Ginny's flaming hair and lifted himself up. He saw Avalon staring at them with her coal black eyes. They seemed to bore into him.  
  
"Sorry, Vee... I didn't know someone was in here..." Ginny said.  
  
Avalon sighed and shook her head. "I'm sorry... I've been a little on edge lately..."  
  
Harry stood up and picked up his robe. "It's okay, Vee... I'm going now..."  
  
Before he reached the door, Avalon took hold of his arm. "He is watching and waiting until the omega time...." she said. Harry stared at her, but she let go of him and walked out before him.  
  
"What was that about..." Ginny said. She was still sitting on her bed.  
  
"I... don't know..." Harry stammered. He put on his robe and smiled apologetically at Ginny. "I'm sorry, Ginny... I have to go..."  
  
Ginny stood up from her bed and walked over to him. He reached up and kissed him on his lips ever so gently. "Don't worry about it... everything will be alright..."  
  
Harry walked down the stairs and ran into Astra. "Sorry Astra.. I didn't see you coming..."   
  
"Nothing to worry about... I was on my way to corrupt my dear little sister with some news about Kennedy.... but that can wait..." she said in a hurried voice.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Nevermind..." She linked her arm through his and descended the staircase with him. "So.... how was the big bad prefect meeting..."  
  
"Horrible as usual... there's this new kid in the prefect circle named Thomas Nigma..." Harry said.   
  
"Let me guess... a little evil boy that makes you want to smack the crap outta him, right?" Astra said as she let go of his arm.  
  
"Yes... in a sense..."  
  
They walked out of the Gryffindor common room and into the hallways. "Where are we going, exactly?" Astra said.  
  
"I don't know... I just need to walk..." Harry said. "I guess you're just tagging along..."  
  
"You don't have to get so nasty about it..." Astra huffed at him. "That kid really got to you, didn't he..."  
  
"Yeah... I guess so..." He smiled apologetically. "I didn't mean to be so rude...."  
  
"That's alright... I was thinking of what happened last year... I wonder how I can reactivate this green gem..." she said as she pointed to the second gem on her left ear.  
  
"Why would you want to..."  
  
"I don't know... it might come in handy..."  
  
The rounded a corner and ran into Sirius, literally. Sirius was on the floor, rubbing his backside in pain. "Watch it... you nearly killed me..."  
  
"Sorry Professor... didn't see you there..." Astra said.  
  
"Harry! I was just coming to see you... how are you... what do you think of my teaching?" Sirius said.  
  
"You're doing great..." Harry said.  
  
Professor Trelawny and Professor McGonagall came into view suddenly. Trelawny was telling McGonagall about her visions. Professor McGonagall looked like she was ready to hit Trelawny at any moment. "Really... and why did you choose to tell ME all of this, Sybil?"  
  
"Oh.. I knew you and I were going to run into each other, so I decided to tell you what I saw happen to that poor Creevy boy..." Trelawny's glasses glinted in the flame lit hallway.  
  
"Hello, girls... how are you?" said Sirius. "Just talking to Harry and Astra here..."   
  
"I know... I saw you in the crystal ball when I was gazing...." Trelawny said in her misty voice.  
  
"They should be back in Gryffindor tower... really Sirius... would you want your best friend's son to die because of whatever is out there?" Professor McGonagall said in her usually stern voice.  
  
"Sorry, Professor... but I thought I could look after him.." Sirius said with a grin.  
  
Dumbledore and Snape came from opposite hallways and Professor Lupin came up behind Harry. "Well.. This is interesting... what sort of occurance is like this?" Lupin said mildly.  
  
"One where dear Mr. Potter can get himself into trouble..." said Professor Snape with a sneer.  
  
"Oh hush up, Snape... like anyone would want to listen to you..." Sirius said with a growl. Snape growled back.  
  
"I rather like this... get the chance to talk to you all with out any problems..." Dumbledore said with a smile.  
  
"Oh... those two have very distant futures... they could become the worst of enemies..." Trelawny said.  
  
"Oh hush up, Sybil... you know you can't see worth a damn!" McGonagall snapped at Trelawny.  
  
"Very interesting indeed..." said Dumbledore.  
  
Lupin was still behind Harry and shaking his head at Snape and Sirius growling at eachother. "They've always disliked each other..." he said suddenly.  
  
Trelawny and McGonagall were yelling now. Sirius and Snape were adding to the wall of sound that was building. Astra was clutching her ears and looked like she was concentrating on something.  
  
"I wonder if I should make them hush up right now..." Dumbledore said with a small smile."It's a lot of fun watching this cat fight over here..."  
  
There was a rumbling sound and Astra was glowing a brilliant white. "Make the noise stop! It's hurting my ears!" she cried.  
  
The rumbling was drowning out the fighting and was deafening to hear. Professor McGonagall and Trelawny suddenly stopped their bickering and started glowing the white light. Sirius and Professor Snape stopped and were enveloped in the white light. Dumbledore and Lupin were enveloped in the light as well.  
  
They all started floating and McGonagall screamed in surprise. "Great Merlin! What the blazes is going on!"  
  
Astra looked as though she were mumbling something. Harry wasn't sure what she was mumbling, but she looked like she was in pain. The teachers spun in an orbit around Astra as they floated up a little higher.  
  
Harry watched in a daze as the teachers started looking younger. Snape, Sirius and Lupin didn't age a lot in appearance, but Trelawny and McGonagall suddenly started looking younger by the minute. Dumbledore began getting auburn hair through his white and it shortened as he spun around Astra.  
  
Astra suddenly jerked back her head and everyone fell to the ground. Harry caught her and laid her on the ground as he held her to him. She was mumbling something. "Abreos tu artha.... abreos tu artha... abreos tu artha..."  
  
Harry looked around. Professor Trelawny was on the ground, her glasses were away from her. Professor McGonagall's braid was untied and her long black hair spread around her.  
  
"What the hell happened here..." Harry said as he picked Astra up off of the floor.  
  
Astra awoke to someone staring at her. There was a seventh year boy with short wavy auburn hair, blue eyes and half moon glasses. He smiled at Astra pleasantly and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. "You are alright, I see...."  
  
"Huh...? Where am I... what happened....?" Astra croaked. She sat up with the boy's help.   
  
"The nice black haired boy brought you in here. I just woke up in here myself. It looks like the Hospital Wing, but it's a little hard to tell. It looks as though things have changed a bit..." the boy said. Astra couldn't help gazing into his blue eyes.  
  
"Who are you? I don't think I've seen you before...." Astra saw that he was wearing a Gryffindor uniform.   
  
"Me? My name is Albus Dumbledore... It's nice to meet you!" He said in a gleeful voice. "What's your name?"  
  
"Astra Knight... knight as in the knights of the round table..." she said quickly. She heard his name, but the last name was similar to the headmaster.   
  
"Ah... so you are a Knight, eh? Are you going to fight against the evil wizards in shining armor riding on a white horse?" He said with a smile. "Of course.... maybe you would do it with a leaf crown, judging by those ears you have..."  
  
Astra stared at the boy. She shook her head and sighed. She swung her legs around and noticed that her school skirt had hiked itself up. She saw the boy blush pink at her legs. "Something wrong?"  
  
He glanced away with the blush still evident on his pale cheeks. "Sorry, Miss Knight... It's just that your skirt is so short! I must have gone through a time portal or something, because the girl's uniforms don't look like that..."  
  
She started to get up and the boy stood and offered his hand. "May I help a lady knight up?"  
  
Astra took his hand and stood. "Thanks... I'm still a bit woozy from whatever happened...." She wobbled slightly and the boy put out an arm for her to hold onto. She accepted it and he helped her out of the infirmary.  
  
"So are you the only one in here?I didn't see anyone in the other beds...." Astra said. She felt somewhat comforted by Albus. He was incredibly nice, although a bit odd and old fashioned.  
  
"I was told to stay there until you woke up by a nice, although a bit bossy Head Girl with long bushy hair." Albus said with a pleasant smile.  
  
"That would be Hermione... she's a friend of mine..." Astra said.  
  
They reached Gryffindor Tower and Astra said the password. "Wingardium...."   
  
"That's nice, dear..." The fat lady in the portrait said. Albus helped Astra through the Portrait hole and led her into the common room.   
  
It was an odd scene. There were several people there. There was an odd seventh year girl with long curled brown hair and glasses playing with a deck of tarot cards. There were three boys that Astra immediately recognized, though.   
  
Severus Snape was reading a book on the couch in front of the fireplace as a young Sirius Black and Remus Lupin held a fake spider over his head. Then, there was Ginny helping a girl come her long black hair.  
  
"She's awake, everyone!" said Albus next to Astra. He smiled at Astra. "Feeling any better Lady Knight?"  
  
Astra nodded and he led her to Ginny. Then, he let go of Astra and walked over to Severus. Astra stared at the girl with the long black hair. It was somewhat hard at first, but then Astra saw the older version in the young seventh year girl in front of her. "Hello, Professor McGonagall..."  
  
The girl looked up with her black eyes. "My name is Minerva.... as in the Goddess of wisdom and war?"  
  
"Sorry.. Minerva..." Astra said apologetically. Astra was starting to realize what had happened.   
  
"I don't like these uniforms... the skirts are too short for my comfort...." Minerva said.  
  
"I'll get you a nice pair of black tights, how about that?" Astra said with a smile.  
  
Minerva smiled back. "That would be very nice, thank you... what is your name?"  
  
"Astra Knight.... as in Sir Gawain and the other Knights..." Astra said.  
  
"Ah... This nice girl here helping me with my hair is Ginny..." She said in a sweet sort of voice.  
  
"I know her... I helped her and my friend Harry realize they were meant for each other...." Astra said with a wink at Ginny. Ginny blushed crimson.  
  
"I said stop it, you two! Leave me alone! I'm going to get you people expelled one of these days!" growled Severus from the couch. He was now chasing Sirius and Remus around the room.  
  
Astra noticed a slight blush as Minerva watched Severus stop and loosen his Gryffindor tie. He huffed and brushed his hand through his hair. Astra started getting interesting ideas.  
  
"There you are... I was wondering when Albus was going to bring you back..."   
  
Astra saw Harry walking through the portrait hole. He had his robes on and the Head Boy badge was gleaming the fire light. After him came Fred and George Weasley, a man with long wavy blonde hair and a pleasant smile and Skywise in his human form.  
  
"Sky... what's going on?" Astra said.  
  
"We um... we're short a few teachers right now, so I asked Fred and George here if they would help... and Mr. Lockheart here if her could teach Care of Magical Creatures. Professor Wizworth already said that he would help in anyway possible, so I asked him to teach Transfiguration." Harry said with a smile.  
  
"Honestly, though... I barely remember anything about these animals, but if I have a book with me, maybe I can help that way..." Mr. Lockheart said in a soft voice.  
  
"Professor Lockheart? You've got to be kidding!" Ginny screeched. She was staring at Harry like he was daft.  
  
"It's okay, Ginny... He was hit with a memory charm back in the Chamber...." Harry said as he tried to clam his girlfriend.  
  
Astra raised her hand. "Um... can anyone explain exactly what you two are talking about and tell me why you think the dufus twins should teach?"  
  
"I'll have to tell you about the Chamber of Secrets later, Astra... and Fred and George are only temporary until we can get the good would be professors back to normal." Harry said with a smile.  
  
"I think it's past everyone's bedtime, here! Why don't all of you go on up to bed! We'll take care of everything!" Fred said with a wide grin.   
  
"Yeah, leave Lockheart to us! Besides... I know that you and Herm have a tough thing to do in the morning...." George said with an identical grin.  
  
"Yeah... running the school." Fred said.  
  
"That's correct... With Professor Dumbledore over there as a seventeen year old, we have to let the head boy and girl run the school now." Wizworth said with a smile.  
  
"Alright, then..." Astra turned to the small group assembled. "Okay then! Girls! Follow me! Boys! Follow Harry here up the stairs."  
  
Astra walked up the stairs to the girls dorm. Harry led the boys up to the boys dorm. It was tough, at first to get the sleeping arrangements in the right order, but it seemed to work out. Harry was finally able to go to bed. Another wild ride was up for him in the morning. 


	8. What Happens When You Cross An Angry Elf

A/N: This should be interesting.... McGonagall making eyes at Snape! HAHAHAHAHA! I'm soooo strange.... ^.^;   
  
I drew and colored a cute picture of Harriet riding a white and blue dragon. It's too adorable! :3  
  
Okay... let's see how well this turns out. The first version of this was stupid and hurried. A small problem with me.  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
  
  
  
The next morning, Harry awoke with a yawn. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and glanced around. He was having such a strange dream with some of the teachers becoming teenagers again.   
  
He suddenly realized that he didn't have his glasses on. He reached to his nightstand and put on his glasses. Suddenly, something moved next to his bed. He sighed. "It wasn't a dream after all...."   
  
A young Sirius Black and Remus Lupin were sleeping in cushy purple sleeping bags next to Harry's bed. Harry looked to Ron's bed. In front were two more sleeping bags with a young Albus Dumbledore sleeping next to a young Severus Snape.  
  
Harry got out of bed and stretched. He wondered, briefly, why this had to happen now. He started getting dressed in his school uniform and robes when Albus woke up and yawned in his sleeping bag. He smiled pleasantly at Harry.  
  
"Hello, Albus... how are you this morning?" Harry said with a smile.  
  
"I'm doing fine.." Albus stood up and stretched. "So...! What is going to happen today? I suppose that we'll have to stay here to keep out of everyone's way, eh?"   
  
Harry had not thought about it. It made sense though to do what Albus just said. "Yeah... I'll have to arrange it so that someone can watch you guys while everyone else is in class."  
  
There was something odd about the Albus smiled at Harry. Harry shook it off and put on the Head Boy badge. "I have to the great hall.... I'll ask the house elves to bring you and the girls some breakfast...."   
  
"Have a nice day, Harry...." Albus said with a smile. It disconcerted Harry some.  
  
Harry went down to the Common room and found Hermione yawning as she waited beside the portrait hole. "I've been waiting for you, Harry.... We need to arrange a few things... like Divination.... We're missing five teachers, not four..."  
  
They walked out of the portrait hole and into the hallway. "We'll just have to close it down for a little while..." The look on Hermione's face made him finish his sentence. "...er... Until we can find someone..."  
  
She nodded and they walked down to the large painting of the fruit bowl. Harry tickled the pear and the painting swung open. "I have to arrange the elves to bring them breakfast, lunch and Dinner..." Hermione scowled at him, but didn't say anything. She despised making the house elves work without pay.  
  
Harry walked through the hole and walked into the kitchen. The house elves were busy making breakfast, running around in different directions as they worked. They were short and had bulbous eyes.   
  
Dobby walked over and greeted Harry. "Dobby is happy to see Harry Potter once again! What does Harry Potter want?"  
  
He was wearing a tea cozy on his head and Uncle Vernon's ugly, yellow socks. Harry smiled down at Dobby. "Hello, Dobby... I'm sorry to trouble you, but some of the teachers have been..." Harry searched for something better to say than 'they have been turned into teenagers'. "They have been put out for a little while, so they are rooming with us in Gryffindor tower. Professors Black, Lupin, Snape and Dumbledore are in my dorm and Trelawny and McGonagall are in the seventh year girl's dorm. I need for you and a couple of the elves to bring them food for breakfast, Lunch and Dinner until I ask you not to."  
  
Dobby smiled. "If Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall are stuck in Harry Potter's house, who is in charge of Dobby and the others?"  
  
Harry thought for a bit. "I guess I and Hermione are.... we have already hired a few replacement teachers for the time being."  
  
"Then, Dobby will do his best for Harry Potter!" Dobby squeaked and jumped over to the other elves. He heard them talking and suddenly, everyone went into overdrive. There were elves going everywhere, almost at once.  
  
Harry left the kitchens and went to the Transfiguration classroom. He found Professor Wizworth, Fred, George and Professor Lockheart standing around with Hermione.  
  
"Ah! There you are, Harry! Mr. Head Boy!" Fred said with a wide grin.  
  
"Why is it I feel like I'm sending this place directly to hell hiring on you two..." Harry said with a wry smile.  
  
"Come on... It's not like we are out for revenge on the teachers!" George said with an equally wide and devious grin.  
  
"I think we should start assigning placements now, Harry..." said Hermione.  
  
"Alright..." Harry picked up the clipboard that Hermione had left for him. He glanced at it and thought. "Professor Wizworth.... you'll be in Transfiguration...."  
  
"And I get the one with the worst students...." He said with a grimace.  
  
"Fred.... you'll teach Potions... George.... Defense Against the Dark Arts...." Harry read off Hermione's precise handwriting. "Professor Lockheart.... you'll be the Care of Magical creatures teacher... and yes, you'll have a book to go by..."  
  
"Thank you, Mr. uh..."  
  
"Just call me Harry, okay?" Harry said with a sigh.  
  
"Alright... Harry..." Professor Lockheart took the book Hermione was offering him and started looking through it.  
  
Back in Gryffindor Tower, Astra woke up and started thinking about how the arrangements were going to be like. She needed someone to watch the teenage teachers while she went to her classes, but she didn't know who.  
  
She stepped over the sleeping form of Sybil Trelawny and went to the door. She had already gotten dressed in her school robes and was going up to the boys dorm to talk to Kennedy.  
  
She opened the door and looked in. Everyone was still asleep. She walked through the room and tripped on a sleeping body and landed on someone. "Ow!" she growled.  
  
"You ought to be careful, you know that?" said a smug voice. Astra knew it all too well.  
  
"Sorry, Sirius.... didn't mean to LAND on you..." Astra said as she struggled to get off of Sirius' lap. He was sitting up now and smiling with a roguish grin.  
  
"There's nothing to be sorry about... I rather enjoy getting girls on my lap..." he said with a wink. Astra blushed and growled.   
  
She stood up and straightened her uniform skirt and robes. She walked over to Kennedy's bed, but tripped over someone else and landed right on top of another person. This time she was face down. "Owie..." she whimpered as she rubbed her nose.   
  
"This is a nice thing to see in the morning.... although I would prefer it to be on my own terms....." she heard Albus' voice.  
  
She lifted herself up and saw that she wasn't only sprawled across Albus, but on Severus Snape as well. Severus yawned and sat up. He glanced down at Astra's legs and traced them up to their origin. He grimaced at Astra. "Such a nice thing to see... A mudblood halvsie trying to get with the better boys... so typical..."   
  
Astra growled and punched him in the jaw. He flew from his sleeping bag to the opposite wall. She was standing where Severus had been and huffed angrily. "Don't... call... me... a... mudblood... halvsie!" she growled.  
  
"Me thinks that the lady should not be addressed in such a manner..." said Albus mildly with a smile.  
  
Astra rounded on Albus and growled. "What was that!" Albus gulped and went ashen faced.  
  
"Astra! What are you doing here?" asked Kennedy from the bed next to Ron's. Kennedy had put on his glasses and was giving Astra a clueless look. His red hair and ice blue eyes glimmered slightly.  
  
"I came to ask if someone here could watch these guys..I was wondering if you could..." Astra said.  
  
Kennedy shook his head. "I'm sorry, but I have to go to class as well..."  
  
"Maybe I can watch them... It wouldn't be too difficult and I thankfully don't have to deal with them having wands..." Albus said with a smile.  
  
Astra thought about it a little bit. She heard Sirius chide Severus on making her angry. She heard Kennedy talking to Albus in a cheerful manner. It sounded like it could work out, she needed someone to check up on them.  
  
"How about this... you watch these idiots and I make a pact with the others to come check up on you guys... how about that?" Astra said with a cheerful smile.  
  
Albus smiled and nodded. Astra walked out of the boys dorm room and walked down to the great hall. Breakfast went on it's own way as usual.  
  
The day was as it went normally. That day, Astra went to Defense against the dark arts. George Weasley was teaching. Astra took note of Nevaeh staring off into space while George talked about banshees, much to Seamus' displeasure.  
  
It was then that Astra noticed someone moving outside of the classroom door. She listened intently through the wall. She couldn't get past the noise in the room. She took out her wand and tapped her glasses. It was a trick that Nevaeh had found back in Firestrom. It was lovingly dubbed the "X-ray vision" charm.  
  
She concentrated on seeing through the wall. She concentrated on seeing what lie behind it. She saw them. She gasped and stood up hurriedly.  
  
"Miss Knight....." said an amused George Weasley at his desk. "Miss Knight... you're interrupting me...."  
  
Astra didn't care. If anyone saw them, they would start asking questions and that was the last thing Astra wanted to burden Harry with. She walked over to the door and tapped her glasses twice with her wand. There was recognition in Nevaeh's face as Astra bowed to George. "I'm sorry... I need to go...."  
  
Then, she ran out the door and down the hall. "You fricken idiots! I'm gonna kill ya'll!" she growled as she ran. She heard them. She knew they had heard her come out of the classroom. She knew they would be trying to get away from her now.  
  
She ran to the main stair well and saw them. "I thought I told ya'll ta stay put!" she growled.  
  
There was Sirius with a look of anger crossing his face. Remus shook his head at Sirius. Trelawny and Minerva were there as well. "Well... what did you expect? You tell us that we have to stay in Gryffindor tower until someone comes to check on us and you expect us to stay there?"  
  
Harry was finishing his shift. He decided to end it early and walked back to Gryffindor Tower. He walked into the common room and saw something very strange indeed.   
  
There was Severus and Albus tied up in separate chairs. They were gagged as well. Harry wondered how long they had been like this. Severus was growling and he mumbled furiously against the gag.  
  
"Oh stuff it, Snape!" Harry growled. He walked over to Albus. Albus was sitting quietly, but there was definite irritation on his clam face. Harry thought he saw a vein throbbing on his white forehead as his blue eyes glared silently, coldly into space.  
  
Harry untied Albus first. He took off the gag and knelt down to untie his hands. "What happened, Albus?"  
  
"Something that won't happen again, I assure you...." Albus said in a coldly calm voice. "They jumped us and took off."  
  
Harry was untiing Severus' bonds. "Who did..."  
  
"Sirius and Minerva. Trelawny wanted a piece of the action and Remus came along to see if he could keep them out of trouble....."   
  
Harry thought he saw something like remembrance in Albus' eyes. Severus growled as he stood up. "I'm going to kill that Black!"  
  
"Black was the one that tied up Severus, here..." Albus said with that same voice. It was slightly chilling to hear. "Amongst other things....."  
  
Harry sat back, bewildered at what had happened. He had never imagined Professor McGonagall doing anything against the rules, or Trelawny for that matter. As if Albus was reading his mind, he spoke.   
  
"Minerva is a fireball, isn't she...." Albus said with a hint of admiration. He glanced at Severus with a knowing smile. "Am I correct, Severus?"  
  
Severus' cheeks twinged with what looked like pink on his incredibly pale skin. "I don't know what you are talking about, Albus...."  
  
Suddenly, the door to the common room burst open and in walked a troop of miscreants. Sirius was the lead, Minerva was next, after her was Trelawny and Remus, and bringing up the rear was Astra, who looked furious.  
  
"I'm telling you this now fer yer own stinkin' good! Stay here!" She kicked Sirius in the rear and growled. "Outside is nothing but trouble and those kids will eat you alive if you go on with this stupid game! They will want to know who you are, what you are, where yer goin' what you are doin' here!"  
  
"You missed why and how...." said Remus. He suddenly cowered as Astra rounded on him. "Sorry, ma'am...." he stammered.  
  
Harry walked over to Astra and patted her on her back. She growled at Sirius and Minerva. They were still sulking indignantly at her treatment of them. "Don't give me that! You deserved every bit of it that you got!"  
  
"I think they get the point now, Miss Knight..." said Albus. He had stepped in front of Astra and was smiling at her with a pleasant smile. She huffed and stalked off out of the common room. Albus turned to Harry and smiled pleasantly. "She's a fireball as well, is she not?"  
  
"You don't know how right you are...." Harry said with a sigh of relief. 


	9. Hufflepuff vs Gryffindor

A/N: I had this whacked out dream this morning where I was in the body of Patrick Stewart and I was tracking down some aliens in a hotel. I got tokens every time I used the elevator and I found a whole load of quarters. I carried a six shooter in my POCKET and every time I tried to shoot a bullet at the female alien, she would stop it and sneer at me. I kinda woke up somewhere around the time she was making me take down a number.  
  
Okay... I know... weird and strange. I've already mapped out most of the important stuff for the first three years of Harriet. *tee hee* she's just sooo adorable! What do you think of my rendition of a young Albus Dumbledore? When I was drawing what he would look like, he ended up looking like Elijah Wood for some reason or other. I hadn't intended it to happen, it just did.  
  
The song that I played while writing the Dead!Colin scene was "Deora Ar Mo Chroi" (Tears on my heart) by Enya. Kinda Apprapoe, eh?  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
  
  
  
It was the first quidditch game of the season. Harry had to get Denis to calm down before the game, or they would have to play without a chaser. The problem was trying to find him. He had taken to finding places to hide.  
  
For a week, no one could find him. He didn't even go to class. Harry had to ask the fifth year Gryffindor boys if they knew where he was. Of course, they didn't.  
  
Harry had to resort to drastic measures. The Quidditch game was the very next day and he had to use everything in his arsenal that he could to find Denis. He was going to use the Marauder's Map.  
  
Harry walked into the boys dorm and went to his trunk. He searched through it and found the pocket Sneakoscope making noise as usual. Harry ignored it and looked through the rest of the trunk. Somewhere in here was his father's map. The one that his father and his friends made to help them with wandering around Hogwarts.  
  
It wasn't there. The Sneakoscope was whining loudly and Harry slammed the trunk down to muffle it. Where had it gone, he wondered.   
  
Albus walked in talking to Ginny in a pleasantly conversation. Albus smiled at Harry. "Harry! I was just talking to Ginny here. She's being ever so nice to me..."  
  
"Harry? What's wrong, Harry?" asked Ginny.  
  
Harry huffed in irritation. "I can't find someone and I can't find a particular piece of parchment."  
  
Albus stared at Harry with a knowing smile. Harry felt like a tiny bug under that gaze. "I think I saw Sirius looking through your trunk, this morning."  
  
Harry growled through gritted teeth. "I'm going to hurt him, so badly..." Then, Harry calmed himself down. "Do you know where he went off to?"  
  
Albus kept that smile on his face. "I think he said he was going to have some fun with a few snakes..."  
  
It hit Harry like a lightning bolt. He said his goodbyes to Ginny and Albus and dashed out of Gryffindor Tower. Harry had not found his invisablity cloak in his trunk. He reasoned that Sirius had found it along with the map.  
  
He ran to the dungeon area of the Slytherin house. He ran until he came to the gargoyle that guarded the entrance. He tried to remember what the password was. "Draconius!"  
  
The gargoyle hopped aside and revealed the door that led to the common room of Slytherin house. He walked through looked around. There were Slytherins in the Common room. They were talking and doing homework. He spotted Draco talking to Crabbe and Goyle in a couch in front of the fireplace. He walked over to them.  
  
Harry was ignoring the many glares and stares that he received from everyone in the common room. "Draco... I need to talk to you...."  
  
"Why should I, Potter...." Draco drawled automatically. He looked up at Harry and sneered. "Did you know that you are in the wrong house? What happened... did the mighty Harry Potter take a wrong turn? Or did you want to come over to the dark side...."  
  
"Malfoy... I'm warning you..." Harry growled. He was bristling as bad as Ron had a tendency to do. Harry swallowed it and took a deep breath. "Have you seen anything strange happen here?"  
  
"Aside from you showing up? No...." Draco drawled. He waved his hand at Harry in a dismissive manner. "If you are quite through, I have a conversation to get back to..."  
  
Harry was thinking of the many things he could do to Draco that would cause him great pain, but was interrupted by someone tapping him on the shoulder. Harry wheeled around and saw Thomas Edward Nigma staring at him with his cold dark eyes. "Sir.. What are you doing in this house? Shouldn't you be in Gryffindor right now?" He said with a cold smile.  
  
Harry brushed him aside. "I don't need to be patronized right now, Nigma... Right now I need to find a few trouble makers that are going to set some kind of trap here..." Harry said. The last thing Harry needed was to get into trouble because of Sirius and Remus. He wondered if Minerva was with them as well, but he dismissed it when he recalled seeing her with Avalon.  
  
"Aw... I didn't know you cared, Potter..." said Draco with a sneer.  
  
Harry grimaced at Draco and huffed his irritation. Harry stalked out of the common room and promptly ran into something that was leaving through the doorway. Harry had a thought as to who it was.  
  
Harry heard the footsteps and followed them. When he got close enough, he grabbed at the air. He had hoped that he would grab the cloth of the invisablitiy cloak. He did and he came up under the cloak and found himself behind Remus. He tapped Remus' shoulder and grinned at him as he slowly turned and stared at him. "Hello!" Harry said gleefully.  
  
Remus tapped Sirius on his shoulder. Sirius brushed Remus off. "Not now, Remus... I asked you to keep an eye out for the Prongs look a like...." His voice trailed off as he stopped and turned.  
  
Harry grinned and waved at Sirius. "Hullo!" Harry said in a cheerful voice. He wanted to be like his father and join in the fun, but right now he had to keep things in order and that meant he had to act like Percy Weasley.  
  
Harry threw the cloak off of them and started wrapping it up. Sirius stood stunned at Harry. Remus smiled in a knowing manner. Harry had had enough. "Give me the map, Sirius... I've got to find one of my players or else I am one man short on the field tomorrow."  
  
"If I didn't know any better... I would say that he WAS James, Sirius..." Remus said thoughtfully. "Certainly acts a lot like him...."  
  
Sirius huffed indignantly and handed Harry the map. "Party drooper..." Sirius said glumly.  
  
"Thank you... now please go back to Gryffindor Tower..." Harry said with a smile. Remus put an arm around Sirius' shoulders and they started walking off to Gryffindor Tower.  
  
Harry pondered what Remus had said. He smiled and shook his head. He remembered that James had been Head Boy as well and probably had to act like a jerk to get his friends to stay out of trouble.  
  
Harry took out his wand and tapped it onto the blank sheet of parchment. "I solemnly swear I'm up to no good..." he said.  
  
Immediately, black spidery scribbling started forming letters. "Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs present the Maurader's Map." It said in the handwriting. Then, a map of Hogwarts started forming. Harry looked around the map. He looked down corridors and everything with his nose pressed up against the paper.  
  
"I wish I could find Denis more easily." he sighed.  
  
As if on cue, the map made everything disappear except a section near the great hall. Harry pressed the map up to his nose again and he saw a small figure that was labeled as Denis Creevy.   
  
Harry tapped the map with his wand and spoke. "Mischief Managed.." The map went blank and Harry stuffed it into his jeans pocket.  
  
He jogged down the corridors until he reached the great hall. He went to the broom closet that he thought he saw Denis in and knocked on it. "Denis? Are you in there?"  
  
"Go away, Harry..." He said in a grim sort of voice.  
  
"I'm not going away... I need to have my team filled out and you seem to be missing from it, Denis..." Harry said with a smile.  
  
"I don't care right now..." Denis said. His voice was cold and almost emotionless. "Don't you care that I've just lost my older brother? My flesh and blood? Don't you care that he worshiped the ground you walked on and you barely acknowledged him?"  
  
"He drove me nuts, Denis..." Harry realized that may have not been the right choice of words.   
  
"True.... but you could've been a bit nicer to him..." Denis said through the door. This wasn't going to be easy.  
  
"I cared that he chose to say goodbye to me... I think that is rather fitting of him, don't you think?" Harry said to the door. There was silence for a full minute.  
  
"I'm his little brother.... why didn't I see him.... why didn't he come to me...?" Denis finally said. This really wasn't going to be easy.  
  
"You're upset because he showed himself to me and not you, that's what it is isn't it. You're jealous, aren't you..." Harry said. He was starting to understand what Denis was going through now.  
  
"He was stupid.... so stupid!" Harry heard something hit the door. Harry jumped back with a hand over his ear and hit the floor hard.  
  
Then, the door opened and out walked Denis. Harry saw him now, not as the little first year that he saw walk in drenched to the bone, but a fifth year now. His features were slightly different from that of his older brother, who was still rather short and mouse like. He was taller and lanky with wide eyes that now glared down at Harry.  
  
"What was that you threw at the door?" Harry asked. He was still looking up at Denis from the floor.   
  
Denis picked up a book and handed it to Harry. "Here... he would've wanted you to have it...." Denis said. "It's the scrap book that he's kept since his first year."  
  
Harry took it and stood up. No matter what, Harry was still taller than Denis. "Er... thanks..."  
  
"Don't mention it..." Denis rubbed his nose. "So... about that game..." Harry grinned widely.  
  
The next day, Harry walked out with his entire team. Out on the other side was the Hufflepuff team in their canary yellow robes. Hannah Abbott was the team captain this year. She was a chaser.  
  
Madame Hooch walked out and held out the quaffle. "Now... I want a nice clean game..." She put her whistle in her mouth and blew. Everyone flew into the air.  
  
Harry flew up higher than anyone and kept an eye out for the snitch. He watched as Astra and Nevaeh played the bludgers like a well oiled machine. Ginny and Kennedy were passing the quaffle to one another until it got to Denis and he through it past the keeper.  
  
"Ten points to Gryffindor!" went the new emcee.  
  
Hufflepuff seemed to be at it's weakest moment as Harry had ever seen it. Harry knew that the Hufflepuff used to be better than this. Gryffindor scored again.  
  
"What's going on?" Harry said. Then, he saw the Hufflepuff seeker shoot up towards the sky past Harry. "Oh no you don't..."  
  
Harry sped upwards and saw the flitting gold of the snitch. Harry easily passed the Hufflepuff seeker. Harry reached out, but a suddenly pain in his back made him drop. A bludger had hit him. The Hufflepuff seeker sped downwards at Harry.   
  
The Hufflepuff seeker came up underneath Harry and caught him. "Careful there..." He said cheerfully.  
  
Harry mounted his broom and smiled at the seeker. "Thanks..."  
  
"No problem! I like good competition." The other seeker said with a grin.  
  
"We get to look for the snitch again...." Harry said.  
  
Harry watched as Hufflepuff finally made a score on Gryffindor. There was tultumulous applause from the Hufflepuff crowd. Harry smiled at the seeker next to him.   
  
"A galleon says that we win..." said the seeker.  
  
"You're on..."  
  
"It looks like the two team seekers are buddying up! Is this a new formation for the Hufflepuffs? Or are the Gryffindors pulling a fast one on the Hufflepuffs!" went the emcee.  
  
Astra was having to play hard to get with one of the Hufflepuff beaters. It was a guy with ginger hair and laughing brown eyes. She smirked and hit the nearest bludger at him. "Catch!"  
  
"This is really bizarre! They seem to be playing a game of street quidditch... not really any competition in here..." the emcee said again.  
  
That wasn't true, though. At least not between the Hufflepuff seeker and Harry. "No... the odds of us burying you are better...." said the Hufflepuff seeker. "Two Galleons..."  
  
"No raising the stakes, mate... one galleon... I don't want you to lose most of your money..." Harry said. "Besides... I've got plenty...."  
  
"So my money's not good enough for you, eh?" said the seeker with a wide devilish grin. He was baiting Harry. "My name is Christopher Trent...." He held out his hand in a friendly manner.  
  
"Harry... Harry Potter..." Harry shook his hand and grinned back. He let go and looked back at the game. "When are you going to get serious with us, eh? You aren't playing your hardest and my people thought you would, which was why we scored on you so easily...."  
  
"We wanted to make believe that we weren't in an actual competition. It's much more fun that way, you know?" said Christopher.  
  
"Well... it seems that my people have figured it out... my beaters are playing catch with your guys..." Harry said as he pointed out Nevaeh and Astra.  
  
"Your beaters are really strong... especially that elf girl... Astra is what you called her? She's pretty..." Christopher said with an evil grin.  
  
"She's taken...."  
  
"By you? I thought you had that Weasley girl...." Christopher looked confused.  
  
Harry blushed severely. "No.... by the captain of the Slytherin team..."  
  
"Slytherin! Rubbish... that's what that entire lot is... absolute rubbish!" Christopher punched the air with a fist and swerved his broom.  
  
"Well.... she seems to keep him from being completely hopeless... he seems to be genuinely friendlier now..." Harry said. "He only poked fun at me when I saw him yesterday." Friendlier was an absolute overstatement, but Harry wasn't going to be too unkind.  
  
"This game has taken a turn! It looks as though Gryffindor has finally set the terms for this match now! Hufflepuff better get serious if they want to win." the emcee shouted in excitement.  
  
As if on cue, Hufflepuff started getting more aggressive. Astra had to bat away more bludger attacks away from the chasers than before. She grunted aggressively as she hit a bludger at one of the beaters. Then, she sped past it and hit away from the beater just before it was in range of his face. She winked at the boy and waved. "Bye!"  
  
He looked as white as a sheet and looked like he had wet himself in fear. The secret move of hers had worked yet again.  
  
Harry saw the snitch at the Hufflepuff teams scoring hoops. He raced against Christopher to get at it. He was racing at top speed and still Christopher was level with him. He briefly wondered what kind of broom he had that could match a firebolt.  
  
He urged the broom faster and as if it rad his mind, he sped up faster than Christopher. He reached the goal post and caught the tiny glittering snitch. "Gryffindor wins! Gryffindor wins!"  
  
Harry flew to the ground and tossed the now deactivated snitch to Madame Hooch. He walked over to Hannah Abbott and put out his hand. "Good game, Hannah..." he said with a smile.  
  
She stared at him for a moment and then smiled. "Yeah... it was good... Thank you...." She shook his hand and walked off.  
  
Christopher walked up to Harry as he fumbled his broom and coin pouch. "I think I can find what I'm looking for in here...." he said as he picked around the pouch.  
  
Harry put a hand on Christopher's shoulder. "That game was enough, Chris... thank you, but I already said I don't need anymore money..."  
  
Christopher smiled at Harry pleasantly. "You really are a great guy.... just like all the story books say.... Good luck... Harry Potter..." He shook Harry's hand gleefully and skipped over to Hannah Abbott, pulling her in a hug and giving her a peck on the cheek.  
  
Harry started toward the rest of the Gryffindor team when he saw Susan Bones standing solemnly by the entrance to the Gryffindor change rooms, which was beside one of the set of stands for Gryffindor. Her red hair flowed in the breeze. Her round, cherubic face showed a heavy sadness that spread into Harry. Then, she smiled at him and curtsied. "Good bye, Harry Potter.... the greatest of us all...." Harry heard her voice as though it were carried on the wind. Then, she walked behind one of the stands and disappeared from his sight.  
  
Harry had a pit in his stomach. He heard a high pitched scream of absolute fear and agony. He ran to the sound. His heart pounded in his ears like a drum. He ran to the now silent area behind the Gryffindor stands.   
  
What he saw, made him feel sick. Susan Bones was up against the back wall of the stands, her hands were tied to two poles that held them aloft. He head was back against the support beam behind her. She was a bloody mess of shredded clothes, blood and flesh.   
  
He walked over to her, suppressing his urge to vomit and touched the cold white skin of her face. Her red hair was everywhere. There was something scratched onto her forehead.   
  
He took out his wand and used a severing charm on the bonds. Hermione had come around the corner and screamed as he took her down and laid her on the ground, her head in his lap.  
  
He had never really known her. He knew that she was a Hufflepuff. She was in his year. That Voldemort had killed her grandparents. He knew that she was sweet to him when she saw him, normally.  
  
"What's on her forehead...." Hermione said in a trembling voice. Harry heard people coming over.  
  
Harry stopped holding the bloody mass in his arms and looked at her head. He traced the uppercase letters on her forehead. "D.... M... V..."  
  
"Department of Motor Vehicles? What the blazes is that supposed to mean...." Hermione said.  
  
She wrote something down on a small piece of parchment and ran off. Harry cradled the lifeless head of Susan Bones in his arms and spoke in barely a whisper. Like what he had heard her sound like. "Good bye, Susan...." 


	10. Karaoke Night

A/N: God! I'm going to make people cry here... Not in this chapter.. This one's going to be weird and zany. But that last one... I got a little carried away with the description of her. Of course if I did do it the way I normally do it... you would want to vomit as well... I can go that deep.  
  
So.. Yes.. I did use Tears on my Heart... I think is deffinantly works... unfortunately, I can't listen to that damned thing now without wanting to cry... I'm so screwed up...  
  
I warn you.. My approximation of Love Hurts By Sonia... that Tenchi theme song... yeah... my approximation is just that... I can barely tell what the girl is singing.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Ten  
  
  
  
  
Harry had to call another meeting. He was getting tired of these meetings. They weren't accomplishing anything. He sighed heavily as he looked out through the window. November was leaving and the weather outside was getting colder. It was raining right now.  
  
December was a day away and Harry couldn't wait until the Christmas Holidays. He planned to go back to either the Weasley's house or Sirius' house. He needed to get away from the prefects.  
  
Nigma was making things even more difficult than before. This boy was going to be a severe thorn in Harry's backside whether Harry asked for it or not. "What kind of Head Boy allows one of his own house get killed and another student get killed.... all with in at least a month from each other!" said Thomas Nigma.  
  
"He has more than just these problems to deal with, Thomas! Besides... you can talk to me as well... I AM head girl after all!" Hermione hissed at Thomas.  
  
"Enough... this meeting is over... Everyone... go take a nice long break and have a nice night." Harry said as he stood up. He was tired of the Slytherin prefects trying to bait him.  
  
He walked out through the door with Hermione coming up behind him. She was worried. He knew that from the sight of her biting her bottom lip in anxiety. "Harry... are you really alright? You seem like you could use someone to talk to..."  
  
"I saw her, Hermione... I saw Susan before I heard the scream. She was saying good bye to me.... do you know how that makes me feel?!" Harry raged at her angrily. He stamped his foot. "I don't know who the next one will be! I can't tell if my scar is on the fritz or I am just defective! I feel like I did when Cedric died! I feel like hell! No! I feel worse than hell! I feel like hell scraped me off of it's heel!"  
  
Hermione wrapped her arms around him and held him. He was so surprised that he couldn't move at all. He just stared at the top of her bushy haired head. "Stop it, Harry... don't keep blaming yourself like you always do.. You aren't the only one who's worried! You aren't the only one who's had doubts about their abilities. You aren't the only one in this!"  
  
Her voice pierced through his sunken heart. Hermione was sobbing into his chest. He patted her head and sighed. "I'm sorry... Hermione..." He managed to say. "That's just been building up.... I could never get around to telling Ginny because I would get interrupted. I'm glad no one interrupted you... You are a true friend...."  
  
Hermione lifted her face from his chest and gazed up at him through tears brown eyes. He smiled and hugged her. She started crying more and now he really didn't know what to do. "Uh... Hermione... you're choking me..."  
  
She shot away from him and blushed. "Sorry, Harry.... I didn't mean to nearly kill you..." She said with a smile. "I think you can go talk to Ginny.... she should be in the Common room right now."  
  
Harry smiled gratefully and ran off towards Gryffindor Tower. He walked into the Gryffindor common room and found that it was nearly empty. The teenage teachers were there as well as Astra, Nevaeh, Kennedy, Ron, Avalon and Ginny.  
  
Harry walked over to Ginny and wrapped his arms around her from behind. He smiled gleefully at her. He felt lighter now than he did before. "Hello Ginny... I missed you..."  
  
Ginny moved her head back so that she looked up at Harry and she smiled at him. "I see that you are feeling better.... how are you now?" she asked in a soft voice.  
  
He kissed her lips gently. "Never better.... I just had a talk with Hermione..."  
  
She smiled. "I'm glad... I was afraid that I would be of no help... that I'd only mess things up..."  
  
Harry hugged her tightly. "Never... you would never mess anything up so bad that nothing could fix it. Just moderately screw things up...."  
  
Ginny slapped his arm. "Thanks! Now I'm going to tell my brother on you!"  
  
"Hey! Does anyone want to do some Karaoke?!"  
  
Harry turned to source of the voice. There was Sirius holding up a small karaoke machine. "I do! I think these things are cool!" said Astra cheerfully.  
  
There was some cackling coming from the girls dorm up the staircase. Harry turned and saw Severus running frantically down the staircase. Behind him was Minerva on Ginny's broom, her wand was out and she was zapping Severus in his rear with it. "BWAHAHAHAHA! That'll teach you to enchant my socks to bite me!"  
  
"AAAAGH! SHE'S BLIVEN INSANE!" Severus screamed.  
  
When he got to the foot of the stairs he hid behind the wall as Minerva flew down through and went past him. He took out his wand and shot a light at her rear. She flew off of the broom and hit the ground, her rear end up in the air. "Owie...." she said rubbing her rear.  
  
Albus walked over to Minerva and helped her off of the floor. "Are you alright?" he asked.  
  
"Yes ...."  
  
Albus blushed brilliant pink. Severus looked amused. Sirius cocked a roguish eyebrow at her. Harry saw why they were all looking at her. Her skirt had grown too short for her now. Her underpants were showing.  
  
She looked down and squealed. "Oh my goodness!" She turned and growled at Severus. "Severus! You did this!"  
  
"Of course not, Minerva... why would I want to see your large bum!" He started running from her as she ran after him with her wand out. "Minerva, I do suggest making your skirt actually fit! This isn't a strip club!"  
  
She blushed bright red and started transfiguring the skirt. The uniform skirt was now down to midcalf on her. "That's better... I wonder why I never thought about doing that before...."  
  
"Now that we're all together..." Sirius began.  
  
"Not yet!"  
  
"Now we are!" said the twins coming through the portrait hole. They had bottles of butterbeer extra in their arms. "And we brought treats!"  
  
"Now that we're all together, why don't we have some fun!" said Albus with a smile.  
  
"WE are first on the machine!" said Sybil as she jerked Minerva to her side.  
  
"What?!"  
  
Then, Sybil motioned to Fred, who was now operating the karaoke machine. Fred started the machine and music started to play. "I can see clearly now the rain is gone!" Sybil sang loudly. Minerva could barely be heard.   
  
As they sang, Sybil kept hitting Minerva in the face with her failing arm. Harry could see What was going to come up in a few minutes. Minerva growled suddenly and picked Sybil up and threw her.   
  
"Well.. I appoint myself as a judge, and I say that Minerva gets points for her great form!" Avalon said with morbid glee.  
  
"Oh dear.. This isn't going to go well..." said Nevaeh into another microphone. Harry guessed that she was going to be a judge as well.  
  
Fred helped the beaten and whimpering Sybil off the stage and Minerva straightened her sweater and skirt and walked off stage. "Well... who's the next victim!" said Avalon.  
  
"Ron Weasley!" said Nevaeh with a cheerful smile. George whistled and catcalled at her. "Stop that, George!"  
  
"Ron's gonna sing? Good God..." Astra said absently.  
  
"Yes... I always did think that I was good..." Sirius said next to her.  
  
Astra glowered at him and grabbed his ears. "You are not God!"  
  
"Am so! See! I have a name tag...!" Sirius said with a pained expression. She let go of his ears and stalked over to the fireplace.  
  
Ron was already on the stage and didn't look a bit happy at the interruption. "Right... Can I start now?"  
  
George pointed his wand at the machine and it played on it's own. "All the... small things... true care... truth brings... I'll take... one lift... your ride... best trip..."  
  
Harry was holding his hands to his ears. Ron couldn't sing on key to the song and Harry had to grit his teeth to keep his sanity. Suddenly, a book came out of no where and hit Ron in the head. Hermione stalked on stage and picked Ron up by his arms and dragged him off stage. "Hermione? That was you?" Harry said incredulously.  
  
"Well... what did you expect?! How long could you have taken that much torture!" she said defensively.  
  
Nevaeh was staring at the scene with worry. "This game is getting violent...."  
  
Avalon growled. "Not enough punishment for that boy... he defiled Blink one-eighty-two!"  
  
"Yer enjoying this waaaaay too much, Vee..." Nevaeh said next to Avalon.  
  
"And now! Please welcome Ginny and Hermione as they sing.... Whenever, Where ever!" Avalon said gleefully.  
  
The music started playing a Brazilian type beat. Hermione and Ginny were beginning to get into the beat and started shimmying their hips. "Lucky you were born so far away so..." Hermione began.  
  
"We could both make fun of distance..." Ginny finished.  
  
"Lucky I love a foreign land for..."  
  
"The lucky fact of your existence..."  
  
Harry could feel his cheeks heat up. He glanced at Ron and Harry saw his ears go pink.  
  
"Baby I would climb the Andes.. To count the freckles on your body.." Ron flushed brilliant red.  
  
"Never could imagine there were only...ten million ways to love somebody!" Ginny sang. Harry could feel the heat increase in his face.  
  
As the song went into the chorus, Harry saw Fred and George put their arms around Ron. "Well Ron..." said Fred.  
  
"It looks like your girlfriend is fired up tonight!" George finished.  
  
"I wonder when Hermione learned to bellydance...." Fred said.  
  
"Or Ginny...." George said.  
  
Ron glared at them. "Feel free to stop leering at my girlfriend anytime now..."  
  
Hermione started singing again. "Lucky for my lips not only mumble... they spill kisses like a fountain..." Ron blushed to the roots of his fiery hair.  
  
Ginny picked it up. "Lucky that my breasts are small and humble... so don't confuse them... with mountains..."   
  
Ron jumped out of his seat and growled. Harry was about to faint. The blood rush to his head was overwhelming. Suddenly, Sirius whistled and catcalled at the girls on stage with something crude.  
  
"KEEP YOUR COMMENTS TO YOURSELF!" Ron growled at Sirius.  
  
"THAT'S MY GIRLFRIEND YOU'RE WHISTLING AT!" Harry growled at him as well.  
  
Fred and George were on stage now and picking the girls up and throwing them over their shoulders. Fred picked up Ginny and Harry heard her growling. "I wonder if Britney Spears ever has this problem..."  
  
George had picked up Hermione. "Sorry, 'Mione... but it's for your own good..."  
  
Harry had wondered if Hermione had drank any of the Butterbeer extra before she went on stage. This proved he was right. "To coin and American phrase..." She slapped George on his rear. "Did you know... I could bounce QUARTERS off of your bum!"  
  
Nevaeh growled into the microphone in her hand. "She's going to die now... Only I can slap his butt!"  
  
"More information than we needed to know..." said Avalon.  
  
Hermione was still on George's shoulder and she was pinching his rear now. "Hermione! Stop that!" George said in shock.  
  
"I wonder if nice bums run in the family... I never really thought about looking..." Hermione said gleefully. Ron took her off of George and she started giggling madly. "Come here, Ronnie boy!" She kissed him fully on his lips and then pinched his rear.  
  
"Severus Snape singing... Kiss from a Rose!" Avalon announced. Nevaeh was still glaring daggers at Hermione.  
  
Severus walked onto the stage and picked up the microphone. The music started and Harry saw Minerva suddenly blush bright red. "There... used to be a greying tower alone on the sea... you became... the light on the dark side of me... Love remains... a drug that's the high and not the pill... but did you know.. That when it snows.. My eyes become larger... and the light that you shine can be seen..."  
  
"Baby! I compare you to a kiss from a rose on the grey.... oohhh.... the more I get of you, the stranger it feels, yeah! Now that your rose is in bloom... a light hits the gloom on the grey!" Severus was singing like a professional. Minerva looked like there were no longer and lights on in her eyes.  
  
After the song was over, everyone clapped. Even Sirius and Remus clapped. The door to the common room opened and in walked Professor Wizworth and Draco Malfoy. Draco walked all the way in and waved a dismissive hand at Wizworth. "Thanks...."  
  
Wizworth walked out of the doorway and disappeared. Astra stood up and grinned when she appeared on stage. "My turn, now!"  
  
The music started and it had a hard beat to it. "Catch you, brother! Love will leave you cryin'... It's gonna hurt you, till yer heart it dyin'! Can't escape it, ain' no use in tryin'! No exception! Love will leave you cryin' till... yer a broken man, are you!"  
  
Harry watched the look on Draco's face go to one of admiration. Ginny and the other girls were dancing to the music. Even Astra was doing some dancing as the rap came in between the verses.  
  
"Well there you see her.. A lovely stranger... you're only afraid to ask or know her name... You finally touch her.. Then yer in danger...you'll only love till you feel the pain! Cause yer emotions will overtake you! And all you'll have or want are those big brown eyes... But she's no angel and she'll forsake you! Shouldn't count that as any great surprise!"  
  
"Passion isn't really happiness... there is trouble in her sweet carress! Lost in confusion, you try old delusions... There's no pride!" Astra went into the chorus and Draco was smirking at her.  
  
When the song was over, Astra jumped off the stage and wobbled slightly. She shook herself and sighed a contented sigh. "Whew! That was fun!"  
  
Harry patted her on her back. "Great job! Your were certainly fired up!" She smiled at him and walked over to Draco.  
  
Kennedy stood up and smiled. "May I be next?"  
  
Avalon went completely red. Kennedy looked worriedly at her. "Avalon... are you all right? Yer all red!"  
  
"I'm... I'm fine, really..." she stammered out. She gave him the microphone from the stage and he walked up.   
  
"I'll be singing 'Everything I do'... by Bryan Adams...."  
  
The music started and Ginny snuggled up to Harry. Harry wrapped an arm around her and brought her closer.  
  
"Look into my eyes... you will see... what you mean to me..."  
  
"Wow... he's really good..." Harry said to Ginny.  
  
She looked up at him and smiled. "Oh but Harry... you have a good voice as well!"  
  
When the song was over, Nevaeh was looking at the score card. "Good God..." she said.  
  
Sirius and Astra both looked up at her and smiled. "Yes?"  
  
"YOU ARE NOT GOD!" Nevaeh growled.  
  
Avalon looked at Nevaeh and sighed. "Should you announce them or should I..."  
  
"You... I'm more likely to kill someone..." Nevaeh growled.  
  
"And now! Sirius, Remus, and Harry!" Avalon shouted. "Singing.. We are family!"  
  
Sirius dragged Harry up to the stage by his sweater. "Come on, Prods!"  
  
Harry wasn't even going to ask how Sirius knew who Harry was. Remus came onto the stage reluctantly. The music started and Sirius put Harry into a headlock. "We are family! All of the Marauders and me!"  
  
Astra watched as Harry snuck out of the drunken Sirius' clutches. Remus snuck away as well. She smirked as Ginny suddenly jumped and blushed. She looked down and Harry's head was next to her knees. "Sorry Ginny..." he said, his face was bright red.  
  
Harry stood up and brushed himself off. He looked to the stage again. Sirius had stopped singing and looked around the stage. HE smirked evilly. The music started in a disco beat that sounded frighteningly familiar.  
  
Minerva shouted. "Somebody stop him!"  
  
Remus joined her. "Oh no! He's not going to sing.... THAT is he?!"  
  
As if on cue, Sirius began to sing. "You can tell by the way I use my walk, I'm a womens man! No time to talk!" A book flew out of nowhere and hit him on the head. He went to the floor and Remus dragged him off the stage.  
  
"Do you think we should stop this game?" Nevaeh asked timidly.  
  
"Nah! It's just now startin' ta pick up!" Avalon said with an evil grin.  
  
It was Harry's turn now and he was being dragged onto the stage by an ear. Astra pulled him up and gave him a microphone. "Sing..."  
  
"But I..." Harry heard the music start and he knew what she had given him. "If I go crazy, then will you still call me superman! If I'm alive and well, then will you be there, holding my hand! I'll keep you by my side... with my superhuman... my.. Kryptonite..."  
  
The song was over quicker than Harry felt it would have been. He went to his seat and hugged Ginny. "Next up is Draco!" said Avalon.   
  
"I don't sing..." said Draco in that drawling voice of his.  
  
"Says the man who sings 'Oops I did it again' in front of any mirror he can find..." Astra said flatly.  
  
Draco growled and walked onto the stage. The music started and he sang with a surprisingly good voice. "I dream of rain... ee-le-lo-le.... I dream of gardens in the desert sand... I wake in pain... ee-le-lo-le... I dream of love as time runs through my hands... This desert rose... ee-le-lo-le... Each of her veils, a secret promise... This desert flower... ee-le-lo-le.... No sweet perfume ever tortured me more than this..."  
  
"Well... what do you know... a tie!" said Nevaeh as she looked at the score board Avalon had handed her. "Draco and Harry..."  
  
"I can't believe I tied to a git like that! It was rigged from the start!" Draco growled.  
  
"We tied, Draco... Is it so bad to be tied with me?!" Harry growled at Draco.  
  
"Yes! It means that I'm equal to you!"  
  
Astra walked up to Avalon and looked at the scoreboard. "Yer tryin' ta kill him aren't you..."  
  
Avalon smirked. "Moi?"  
  
Remus looked to Harry now. "Well.. What should we do now?"  
  
Sirius held up a bottle and grinned madly. "How about spin the bottle!" 


	11. Spin the Bottle Gone Wrong!

A/N: Okay... I know what the hell yer thinkin'... this should be interesting... Let's watch the fun! Maybe not... you could be going.... "What the hell kind of crap is this?! Fifth year was MUCH better! Why am I still reading this crap!"  
  
Thanks... I feel ever so much better.... T.T  
  
try this site for translated JP HP doujinshi... they don't call me the Grand High Priestess of Harry Potter Doujinshi fer nothing!  
  
http://aku-tenshi.com/harrypotter/doujinshi  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Eleven  
  
  
  
  
"You can't be serious! Spin the bottle?!" said Astra.  
  
Sirius had a wide grin as he held the offending bottle in his hand. Fred and George came up behind him and took the bottle. "We have an idea!" said George.  
  
"Merge spin the bottle with truth or dare and seven minutes in heaven." George said.  
  
"I'll bite... how exactly is this supposed to go?" Sirius said with a grin.  
  
Fred raised his hand like he was in school and smiled. "Professor Weasley! What are the rules of the game?"  
  
"Well, thank you for asking, Mr. Weasley...Everyone sits in a circle and one person spins the bottle. Whomever it lands on has to choose either truth, dare or heaven. If truth or dare, the person who spun the bottle has to come up with something." George said as he did a Professor McGonagall impersonation.  
  
"Those two are getting scary...." said Ron.  
  
Everyone got into a circle and sat down. Severus, who was slightly drunk, put the bottle down in the center and spun it. Everyone was nervous and jumpy as it spun. It slowed and then landed on Nevaeh, who was making weird nervous noises. "Nngh!"   
  
"Dare..." said Severus.  
  
Nevaeh suddenly grinned evilly. She put her index finger to her lips and thought for a moment. Severus must have realized what he had said, because he suddenly became very nervous.  
  
"I want you to put Harry's tartan boxers on your head, my bathrobe around your neck like a cape and use my broomstick. I want you to walk outside in only your underwear with the boxers, broom and bathrobe and scream to the school 'I am Arthur, King of the Britains!' over and over until people come out to see who the idiot is..."  
  
"You're bliven insane... you know that..." Severus gulped.  
  
"Hush up and strip!" Nevaeh grabbed his sweater and started pulling it over his head. He started protesting and ran.   
  
Sirius got up and ran after Severus. "Rules are rules, Sevie!" he cackled madly. Astra stood up and tripped Severus.  
  
"Gerroff me!" He shouted as the two girls and Sirius started taking off Severus' clothes. Pretty soon, he was in nothing but his underpants. Ginny went into Harry's trunk and took out a pair of his tartan boxers. She put them on Severus' head and smiled.  
  
"Perfect fit! Now you have your crown Arthur!"  
  
"Shut it!" Severus growled.  
  
Nevaeh tied the bathrobe on and handed him her broom. Then, Astra booted him out the common room door. Everyone in Gryffindor house was watching now. Seamus at the top of the stairs started yelling catcalls. "OOOH! Pretty ickle Snape is going to proclaim his kinghood!"  
  
"Somehow, I don't think he'll need to scream it repeatedly. There seems to be plenty of people willing to laugh..." said Harry with a smirk. He was having fun.  
  
When they got outside, Severus screamed at the top of his lungs in the cold weather. "EVERYONE! LISTEN TO ME! I AM ARTHUR! KING OF THE BRITAINS! AND THIS IS MY MIGHTY EXCALIBUR!"  
  
When the humiliation was basically over, Harry watched an indignant Severus walk back inside shivering from the cold. From that point on, no one picked Dare unless they had a death wish.  
  
The next spin was Harry's. It landed on Hermione. "I'll take the closet... at least it will be quiet...." Harry sighed. He wasn't going to let Hermione prank him, he knew better than that.  
  
Hermione stood up and went into the nearest closet in the common room. It was locked behind them. Harry stood in the cramped area. Hermione was right in front of him, pressed rather close. Harry knew why. The closet was really only large enough for almost two people.  
  
They waited patiently until someone opened the door on them. Fred opened it and smiled. "Nice going, Harry... I didn't know you had it in you!"  
  
"WHAT!?" came an enraged Ron's voice from the other side of the room. Harry raised an inquisitive eyebrow. Ron came into view and he suddenly gulped. "S-sorry... didn't mean to... er... I'm going back now.."  
  
"Good... because you are being absolutely ridiculous!" Hermione said in a sniffy voice.  
  
It was Sirius' turn to spin the bottle now. The bottle spun in a tiny circle until it landed on Astra. Astra huffed indignantly. Sirius smiled. Remus leaned over and whispered something into Sirius' ear.  
  
Harry noticed that Draco had his wand out and watched Sirius like a hawk. Sirius glanced over at Draco and gulped. "Okay... I guess traditional... I'll just kiss you here..."  
  
Astra sighed and walked across the circle to Sirius and knelt down. He took her chin and kissed her on her lips gently. Astra felt a little electricity at the contact. It was a little like being kissed by Draco. He deepened the kissed for a split second and then he broke away. He smiled at her. "That's better.."  
  
Astra shrugged as she blushed and stood up. She walked back to her spot in the circle and smiled at Draco. She stuck out her tongue at him playfully. Draco stuck his out and blew a raspberry. "Brat!" he said.  
  
Nevaeh spun the bottle now. It went in a tiny circle until it hit Remus, who kept a smile on his face, even though Harry could tell there was shock on it. "Kiss... I'm in no mood to deal with pranks or the closet."   
  
George sat cross legged across from Harry. He looked slightly miffed, but didn't say a word.  
  
Nevaeh walked across the floor and knelt down in front of Remus. Their faces were centimeters from each other. She pressed her lips to his and he made a small squeak. He closed his eyes and kissed her back. Then, she broke away and smiled. "It's too bad that yer too old for me... yer very sweet..." she said softly. Harry heard every word of it though.  
  
It was Hermione's turn now. She spun the bottle and it landed on Harry. Harry stared at the bottle incredulously. "That's ridiculous!"  
  
"Feh... Might as well get it over with now..." Ginny handed Hermione her lipstick and held her compact up for Hermione. The lipstick was bright pink.   
  
"That's good.. Now go kiss him..." Ginny said brightly.  
  
Harry stared at Ginny in absolute shock. Hermione stood up and walked across the circle. Harry thought he heard Fred mumble something like, "--So much for the rules..."   
  
Hermione knelt down in front of Harry and took his face in her hands. Her bright pink lips were mere centimeters from his own. Harry closed his eyes and waited for it. Her lips gently pressed to his for a second and then she kissed his cheek. "That's better... now he has the dreaded pink lipstick mark that doesn't come off!" she grinned at him.  
  
She sat down and it was Ron's turn now. Harry tried to rub the lipstick off, but it wouldn't come off. "Damn it! How long is this stuff supposed stay on?!" Harry said gruffly.  
  
"Don't worry about that... now... Ron? Would you like the lipstick as well?" asked Ginny with a wide devious grin. Harry noticed why. The bottle had landed on him.  
  
Ron batted his eyes playfully at Harry and puckered his lips. Harry grimaced at him and threw a nearby book at him. "Kiss that!" It hit Ron on the head and he fell over.  
  
Avalon was next and she looked nervously at Kennedy. She spun the bottle and it landed on Kennedy. Harry noticed that Astra had her wand out and was grinning madly as she magiced the bottle to her will.  
  
"Aw... ickle Avalon is worried about being a failure to that ditzy Kennedy...." Draco said with an evil grin.   
  
Avalon stopped and glared at him. "Avalon? Did you just call me.... Avalon?" she said through gritted teeth.  
  
What ensued from this was a battle fraught with pain and pressure points. Afterwards, Draco was a beaten mass on the floor holding up a white flag. Astra stood over him and shook her head at him. "I told you not to call her that..."  
  
Avalon straightened herself up and brushed a lock of black hair out of her eyes. She blushed when Kennedy looked at her. "Is something wrong, Avalon?" asked Kennedy.  
  
She puffed up and looked like she was readying herself for battle. She walked over to Kennedy and knelt down to him. He smiled at her pleasantly. She took his face in her small, thin hands and pressed her lips to his. Avalon had her eyes shut tightly. Kennedy closed his eyes and brought his arms around her. There was a small gasp from Avalon and she opened her eyes. He seemed to be kissing her back with equal fervor.  
  
Harry decided to look away and go back to the game. "Leave them be... they'll be like that for a while...." Astra said with a smile.   
  
It was Albus' turn. He spun the bottle and it landed on Astra. He smiled pleasantly at Astra. "I choose..... a kiss from the lovely lady knight."  
  
Astra blew a strand of silvery hair out her face. "Back to work... what do I look like... a girl at a kissing bazaar booth?" She stood up and walked over. She knelt down and huffed. "Alright.. Go on..." She closed her eyes and waited.  
  
She felt his lips press against her skin. The skin of her cheek. It tingled where he had kissed her. It was an odd sensation. She blushed slightly and opened her eyes. She saw the eyes of professor Dumbledore looking into her own, but from a young face.  
  
He smiled at her. "Thank you... you are a very nice girl..." He got next to her ear and whispered. "I wish I had known you back in my days... you would've been a great friend to me.... take care of them...."  
  
The heat in her cheeks increased and she stared at Albus with her wide, slightly slanted blue grey eyes. "Thank you..." she said as she smiled at him. When she stood up, she curtsied to him and walked back to her spot.  
  
After everyone had one turn, it was Severus' turn again. He spun the bottle and it landed on Minerva. He smiled and said, "Heaven..."  
  
There was a long silence amongst everyone. Suddenly, there was a loud KER-THWAK and Severus was on the floor. Minerva was standing over him with her reddened hand as she glared down at him.   
  
Harry noticed some whispering amongst the girls. Nevaeh handed Ginny something and passed it to Hermione, who passed it to Avalon. Avalon put on a pair of fake glasses and held out her wand. Kennedy kept his arms wrapped around her waist in a protective manner.  
  
Severus finally awoke and sat up. He glared up at Minerva. "Bitch! Why did you have to hit me!"  
  
"You are a vulgar... ill-mannered... prat!" Minerva growled up at him when he stood up.  
  
Nevaeh and Astra picked them up and threw them into the closet. They closed the door and locked it. "If ya didn't want it, then you shouldn't've joined the game!" Astra said.  
  
"Ladies! Does everyone have a pair of enchanted glasses?" Nevaeh said cheerfully.  
  
All of the girls put on different pairs of glasses. "Get out your wands and tap them.. They're already enchanted with the x-ray charm..." Astra said as she tapped her own glasses.  
  
They sat in a row and watched the closet. Ron nudged Harry in the ribs. "Should I ask what's going on?"  
  
"I think I already know....." Harry said.  
  
From inside, he heard someone getting thrashed. He figured I was Severus getting beaten within an inch of his life.  
  
Astra munched on some kind of snack Fred and George had brought. "I could sell tickets for this!"  
  
Avalon was rooting Minerva on. "Kick his sorry ass!"  
  
Nevaeh munched on popcorn.  
  
Hermione clung onto Ginny. "ACK! Will Professor Snape know that we were watching him like this? Will he take away points?!"  
  
"Herimone..." Ginny sighed.  
  
Astra watched as Severus finally grabbed a hold of Minerva's mighty fists of fury. He pulled them behind her back and held her tightly. "Let go of me!" growled Minerva loudly.  
  
"Calm down!" Severus looked like he was on the receiving end of a bulldozer. "You don't need to try to kill me!"  
  
"Says you!"  
  
"Excuse me... but all I was trying to do was avoid truth or dare and being in front of everyone!" Severus growled.  
  
Minerva looked like she was ready to pulverize him Her hands were slipping from his grasp as she growled furiously. "THAT'S ALL!?"  
  
He pulled her closer and let go of her arms. There was shock evident on his face. He kissed her. She made muffled protests, but in the end, she closed her eyes and calmed down.  
  
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to surprise you like that, professor...." Severus Snape said.  
  
She gazed up at him. He let her go and he fell back to the other wall. "Severus...I..."  
  
"Don't... I've had my heart trampled on enough times to know that I'm always going to be alone...." Severus said softly as he held up a white hand. "Those other Slytherin girls.... Lily... Everyone within twenty feet of her fell for her..."  
  
"If only Harry heard this... he'd have a fit!" Astra smirked as the other girls sighed blissfully. "Shoujo romantics to the end...." she sighed and shook her head at them.  
  
Minerva looked like she was going through an internal struggle. "You..." Then, something hit her. "You're Professor Snape.... potions master at Hogwarts... I am Minerva McGonagall... deputy headmistress of Hogwarts.... I remember... it's starting to come back."  
  
Astra started feeling something inside her trying to come out. She kept her gaze locked on the two in the closet. Minerva walked over to Severus and smiled at him. "Don't you see? We're going back to what we used to be..."  
  
Astra felt like this one she could control. She smiled at Albus as he gave her a wink. "You can do it... just concentrate...." he whispered in his softest voice. Only her elfin ears could pick it up.  
  
"It will be the same as it was before.... I don't know why I ever felt anything for you... you're old enough to be my grandmother...." Severus said.   
  
"So... you really do.. You mean that you meant what you said last year...?" Minerva stammered.  
  
Severus' face went into shock. "Yes..."  
  
Astra concentrated hard on what she needed to do. She concentrated on their age. She concentrated on all of them.   
  
Minerva was glowing now and there was a sort of wind around everything in the common room. Minerva latched onto Severus. She was crying as she pressed herself to him. "It doesn't matter how old we are! I don't care!"  
  
"Yeah, but I kinda do!"  
  
The wind was deafening. The other girls were starting to cling to anything that they could get to. Ginny clung onto Harry. He held her protectively as he watched. Astra was in the air. Her shoulder length silvery hair swirled about her and there was a glazed look in her eyes. The second stone on her left ear was glowing brilliant green. The light stone was activated.  
  
Minerva clung onto Severus. He held her against the wind that carried them out of the closet. Every one of the teachers was circling around Astra now. They each glowed bright white.  
  
Minerva shouted above the roar of the wind. "I LOVE YOU!"  
  
Suddenly, everyone dropped to the ground. Only Astra floated to the ground. She was standing on the ground, her skirt stopped blowing around now. Draco ran over to her and tapped her on her shoulder. She went limp and she fell into his arms.  
  
Harry looked out to the teachers. He had heard Minerva's testament. He watched as Professor Dumbledore stood up and brushed himself off. Somehow, he was in his original robes. His long silver beard brushed the hem of his robes.  
  
"Ah... that was a fun journey indeed!" He said. He walked over to Harry and smiled. He knelt down to Harry and touched Harry's forehead. "I see that you have your arms full..." He indicated Ginny, who was asleep in Harry's arms.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Miss Knight turned them back into themselves again. She's getting very good at using that stone..." Dumbledore said lightly.   
  
"How did you know you were...."  
  
"Oh... I knew since I woke up in the Hospital wing... no sense in telling what doesn't need to be told..." Dumbledore said as he stood up.  
  
The teachers were stirring now. Professor Lupin sat up and brushed his longish bangs out of his eyes. He too was in his original robes. The odd thing was... he didn't look a day over twenty-five.  
  
Professor Trelawny sat up and yawned. "How interesting... I wonder why I didn't fore see that coming..." she said mildly. She too didn't look much older than twenty-five.  
  
"Probably because you can't see much of anything..." said Sirius as he stood up. "Oh... I'm getting too old for this shit..." He looked the same as Lupin and Trelawny. He looked at himself in surprise. "Maybe I'm not..."  
  
Snape stirred on the floor. He still held onto McGonagall tightly. He lifted his head up and looked around. "Well... this is certainly interesting... how many points do I get to take away from Gryffindor now?"  
  
"None, Severus...." Dumbledore said in a voice that sounded something like sternness.  
  
McGonagall stirred in Snape's arms. She breathed in and gasped. "Wha--?" Snape still had his arms around her. "What happened?"  
  
"We're back to ourselves...." said Lupin. "Only not..."  
  
"Yeah... we're younger than when we started off as. Especially you and Trelawny here..." Sirius said as he looked at his hands. "Wow! Nice job, Astra..."  
  
Snape finally let go of McGonagall and sat up. He leaned on his hands. McGonagall sat up as well. McGonagall's long black hair was out of it's braid and flowed around her. Harry realized that she was very pretty.  
  
She straightened her glasses and blushed. "Oh dear... this is strange..." She looked at her hands and checked her arms. "I'm deffinantly younger...."  
  
"Minerva... what you said before we blacked out..." Snape said as he looked at her hopefully.  
  
"Oh for heaven's sake! Just kiss her already!" Astra snapped.  
  
Snape shrugged and brought McGonagall into a kiss. Harry smiled and hugged Ginny. Ron looked like he was turning a slight greenish color, but Hermione attached herself to him and he regained his color. "This is definantly something to get used to...." said Lupin mildly. 


	12. To ask is the right thing

A/N: Okay... Thank you Snow_bliz! I love you! I would post my address for you, but unfortunately, I'm paranoid. I've got an idea... if you can scan the picture... save it onto a disk and then upload when yer online on your own computer. That would be something I would do. Of course, I am one of those computer geek type people that keeps several disks available for my use. Oh and... you will die for that insult to me... actually... nevermind... I know I have a tendency to have her flirt with Harry... I can't help it, damn it! It just happens! I just prefer Draco... and to those who are wondering... my Draco obsession came AFTER I started putting Draco and Astra together.  
  
It's almost Halloween, one of my favorite days! Unfortunately, I have a violin lesson that night, so I decided to wear my costume to the lesson. In case yer curious what my costume is, I just wear my normal clothes with my glasses and messy blonde hair, wear a wizard hat and carry a wand... I wish I had a cape.... T.T there aren't any descent ones....  
  
Haha... my way of dressing up as Harry Potter... I would draw on the lightning bolt, but it would come off when I wear the hat. I went online to HP.com and there were some of the worst costumes for Harry and crew that I have ever seen! ACK! Who comes up with this stuff!  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Twelve  
  
  
  
  
  
The Christmas Holidays came and Harry was glad to leave Hogwarts for a time. Sirius had talked to him at the end of a lesson the week before asking what he was planning on doing for the holidays. "I would like to go home, Sirius..." Harry said with a sigh.   
  
"What's wrong, Harry?" Sirius said as they sat down and drank some hot butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks.  
  
"It's the Slytherins, Sirius... they're driving me berzerk...." Harry said gruffly. He indicated toward a small table of a few Slytherins. Harry recognized the small black haired fifth year with cold eyes as Thomas. "Thomas, especially... he's being a major pain..."  
  
"I had my share of problems when I was your age... especially with Snape..." Sirius said sullenly into his drink. Professor Lupin came into the Three Broomsticks and looked around. "Oy! Remus! Over here!"  
  
Professor Lupin walked over to their table and sat down. Madame Rosmerta walked over with a mug of hot butterbeer. "Thank you, Rosmerta..." He smiled up at her and she walked off.  
  
"So what do you want to do for the Holidays, Harry?" Lupin smiled warmly at Harry.  
  
"I want to go home for a while...." Harry said gruffly into his mug. Thomas was staring at Harry with a sort of loathing and a cruel smile. It gave Harry a cold shiver up his spine to look into those eyes.  
  
"That can be arranged... I was planning to go home myself... after I play with that map again..." Sirius said with a grin.  
  
"You're growing nostalgic, Sirius...." Professor Lupin said with a wry smile.  
  
Sirius thumped his head on the table and whimpered. "Do I have to....?"  
  
"Yes...."  
  
"I mean... come on! I've been away from everyone for fourteen years! Can't you let it slide?!" Sirius whimpered.  
  
"No...."  
  
Sirius sighed heavily and stood up. He searched through his robes and came out with a coin purse. He got out three galleons and shoved them at Professor Lupin. "Here, you Highwayman!"  
  
"Achem.... that isn't all...." Lupin said. "The other thing as well...." That thoughtful smile was on his face. It hid everything that he thought, as Harry had come to recognize.  
  
"Damn you and that stupid bet...." Sirius growled and walked over to where Professor Snape sat with Professor McGonagall.   
  
Sanpe looked rather uncomfortable with McGonagall snuggled up to him in the booth that they sat in. Her hair was in a long braid that came over her shoulder. Snape looked up as Sirius walked over to him. "What do you want, Black..."  
  
"Stand up, Snape... I need to do something...." Sirius said through gritted teeth.   
  
Snape stood up and stared at Sirius. "What are you going on about...?" Sirius grabbed Snape and hugged him. "What the hell?! Gerroff me!"  
  
Sirius let go of Snape and stalked back to Harry's table. "There now... happy, Moony?"  
  
"immensely..." Lupin grinned as he drank some butterbeer. Harry was still confused.  
  
"What was all of that about?" Harry asked.  
  
"A bet that was made way back in the stone age, Harry. I never thought that Remus here would remember it..." Sirius growled into his drink.  
  
"He bet me that if he got nostalgic over being away from Hogwarts, that he would not only pay me three galleons, but give Snape a hug and a kiss..." Professor Lupin said. "Which reminds me... that wasn't all--"  
  
"Don't press your luck..." Sirius growled. Lupin dropped it.  
  
Ron and Hermione walked in with Ginny behind them. Harry had forgotten that Ginny was coming. He stood up and got onto the floor, bowing to her like she was a goddess. "I'm not worthy! I'm not worthy!"  
  
"Get up, my precious slave! Oh ho ho ho ho!" Ginny cackled. Harry stood up and she hugged him. "You forgot about me, didn't you... you're going to pay for that, you know..."  
  
"I know... unfortunately." Harry gave her a wry smile. Astra walked in with Draco. She was hugging him much in the way he had witnessed Pansy clinging onto Draco in the past. "Hello you two..."  
  
"Hi, Hi, Harry! I'm just snuggling up to my warm furnace here!" Astra gave him a smiled and snuggled closer to Draco. Draco looked a bit like he was enjoying it, but also like he was uncomfortable. He wrapped his cloak around her.  
  
Harry walked with Ginny back to the table with Sirius and Lupin. "What is it with Potter men and Hotheaded red heads...." Sirius said with a grin.  
  
"You haven't seen the full extent of her temper...." Harry said mildly.  
  
"Never underestimate the sweet nature of a Weasley girl.... they turn mean in under two seconds flat!" Astra said, her southern accent coming out a little fuller than normal. "Ain't that right, Gin..." Ginny blushed and smiled.  
  
"Or the nasty nature of a Knight..." Draco drawled with a grin. "She can be awfully forth coming when she doesn't think anyone is watching."  
  
Astra blushed and hid herself into his cloak and under his arm. "Shut up, Draco..." Harry heard her growl from underneath the cloak.  
  
"For instance... just the other day, we were in the Astronomy tower andYEOWCH!" Draco jumped away from Astra, whose face was the color rose. She didn't look incredibly happy.   
  
"Say one more word and you will wind up in the hospital wing..." she growled at him.  
  
Draco stared at her and grinned. "You have to catch me first...." Then, he took off out of the Three Broomsticks with Astra running after him.  
  
Sirius shook his head and smiled. "Those two are quite the pair.... Though... if you think about it... you and she are quite a pair as well, Harry..." Harry blushed.   
  
"Of course, I think Harry prefers red hair to that of disorienting silvery white." said Professor Lupin with a smile. "Otherwise, he would have gone for Draco...."  
  
Harry was about to say something, but Sirius spoke again. "If he did that, James would come back from the dead and smack him around a while. Honestly... he isn't.." Sirius made a motion with his hand that was flat and moved from side to side on an axis. "That vway..."  
  
"Very funny, you two... I don't need you to start talking about me like this..." Harry said through gritted teeth.  
  
"So... do you want to invite a few people over? I mean... it is your home too..." Sirius said with a smile.  
  
"Yeah... invite me and Ron and Hermione.... Astra.... and Draco..." Ginny said next to Harry. "Nevaeh will be with Fred and George at home in St. Catchpole. Avalon with Kennedy back in Texas.... it just leaves my dear Ronniekins and 'Mione, Astra and Draco and you and Me..."  
  
"I like the way she thinks.... keep her, Harry.." Sirius said with a wide grin. "Or I might take her..." Ginny started slapping him on the shoulder. "ACK! STOP IT! THAT HURTS! I WAS ONLY KIDDING!"  
  
"You should really watch that mouth of your's, Sirius... this always happens somewhere along the way..." Lupin said mildly.  
  
"At least I don't have YOUR problem..." Sirius grinned at Lupin. Professor Lupin went slightly pale, but kept that smile on his face.  
  
"I don't know what you are talking about, Sirius..."  
  
"Once a month right before the full moon, if he doesn't take his potion, he draws on a crowd of girls so large that he has to beat them away...." Sirius said.  
  
"I do not... besides... that wouldn't happen here..." Professor Lupin said. "I take my potion regularly..."  
  
"Not always... I dare you to skip it on that one day so that Harry can watch... it should happen when there actual human beings here though..." Sirius said. "Of course you would have to take it at the end of the day so you can keep your wits about you...."  
  
Lupin sighed in defeat. "Alright... I'll do it.. You would find a way to get me to agree anyway..."  
  
"Do it next semester.. People will be here then." Ginny said with a grin. Harry was starting to get worried. He remembered what had happened when he went back in time and saw his parents. The battalion of girls that roamed around Lupin was horrendous. He gripped Ginny around her waist tightly. "Harry... you're holding me a little too tightly..."  
  
"Sorry, Ginny.. I didn't mean to do that..." Harry kissed her on her nose and smiled.  
  
She reached up and kissed him on his lips. He responded and kissed her back with equal passion. "That was nice.... Happy soon to be Christmas Holidays, Harry..." she smiled at him.  
  
"Can we have a kissy too, Harry?" came Ron's cackling. Harry glared at Ron. Ron batted his eyes at Harry in a playful manner. "Aw... I do hope she's not too much for you..."  
  
"Is there something you wish to tell Hermione, Ron? Because you are acting a bit queer lately..." Harry said with a grin at Ron. Ron's ears went pink and he grabbed Hermione around her waist gruffly and kissed her as she made muffled protests under his lips.  
  
Astra had been running after Draco for nearly ten minutes now. She never admitted it to anyone, but she enjoyed the games Draco would bait her with. He may have sounded mean, but she figured it was his way of being nice to her.  
  
She turned a corner and leaned against a wall. She huffed and brought her cloak around her. She was getting very cold in the white snow around her. Her breath came out in puffs in front of her. "Ya can take the girl outta Texas, but ya can't take the Texas weather out of the girl.... I wish it wasn't as cold as this... I wish I had warmer clothes...!"  
  
She straightened herself up and started to walk down the alley when a pair of arms wrapped themselves around her shoulders and brought her close to a hard, warm body. She felt Draco nuzzle his face in her neck, in her hair. "You smell nice..." He purred at her as he kissed the joint where her jaw connected. She shivered.  
  
He drew his cloak around her and turned her around, kissing her neck. He kissed her chin as another shiver went up her spine. "Soft skin... flowing hair.... a passionate streak..." He said in between kisses.  
  
He brought his hands underneath her sweater, his cold hands meeting her warm back. She made a small squeak as he brought her closer. He grinned impishly down at her. His gray eyes were half closed as they smiled at her.   
  
"If only everyone knew just how girlish you can be..." he said as he brought his nose out of her hair. "How plaint.... how feminine..." He kissed her nose. "You are so much a tomboy that you forget what it's like to be an actual girl...." He smiled at her. "I guess that's what I'm here for..."  
  
"I guess so..." she said in a dream like state. She was barely receiving the information. Her mind was in a haze. His now warm hands were resting on her waist.  
  
"And just how pudgy you've gotten...." He gave her a small squeeze on her waist. She writhed against him.   
  
"ACK! Stop that! That tickles! Ahahahaha!" She laughed as she writhed in his arms. "I'm not pudgy!"  
  
"Are too... you're all soft and somewhat squishy all around...." He brought his hands up to her shoulder blades and brought her chest against his ribs. "See? Not that I mind..." He poked her in her stomach. "And here as well..."  
  
"Oh hush up!" Astra tried to break away, but he kept a grip on her.   
  
"Not so fast, oh mighty pudgy one..." Draco said with a smirk. "You look good like this..." He brought her arms around his neck. He brushed a hand down one of her arms gently. "Squishy is good on you... you look like that girl on the front of that Japanese book you have that has that sword..."  
  
Astra stared blankly at him for a second. "Oh, you mean Real Bout High...."  
  
"Yeah... you remind me of her.... well... your body at least... then again..." He brought her away from him and started lifting up her sweater, revealing her skin to the cold. "I have yet to actually get a good look..."  
  
"Stop that!" she hissed at him. She pulled her sweater down and growled indignantly at him. He grinned devilishly at her.   
  
"Why don't you two find a less public area to do that around..." Harry said to Astra. She turned around and stared blankly at him with pink coming into her cheeks.  
  
"We were... until you and the Weasel came around here..." Draco said with a flat tone. He was staring straight at Ginny who was glaring up at him.  
  
"Don't bother with him..." Astra said with a smile. "What did you two want?"  
  
"I wanted to invite you and Malfoy to my house for the holidays...." Harry smiled back at her.  
  
"That would be lovely! I have wanted to see where you live now..." Astra said in her usually cheerful tone.   
  
"Then, it's settled... you and Malformed are coming over then?" Ginny said with a smile.  
  
"Great... just what I need... more quality time with you two...." Draco grimaced.  
  
Astra smirked. "He'll come... if only because he wouldn't want to end up being sent home in peices." She punched him playfully in the stomach and he fell to the ground.  
  
"You didn't need to do it that hard!" He choked out.  
  
"Oh... I'm sorry, Draco... I didn't intend it to be that hard... are you alright?" Astra asked. She patted him on the back sympathetically. "I'm sorry... I'm really sorry..."  
  
"You know... I could take a lesson from her, Harry..." Ginny said as she circled her arms around his neck.  
  
"What do you mean?" Harry asked with a smile. He watched as a playful smile crossed her lips.  
  
"When I want you to pay attention to me, I just hit you and pretend that it was an accident..." Ginny poked Harry in his stomach hard. "A bit ticklish are you?"  
  
"Stop it! That tickles!" He gasped as she worked her fingers on his sides.  
  
"It's payback for all those times you tickled me to tears, Harry..." she laughed.  
  
They fell into the snow together. He rolled her underneath him and kissed her lips gently. Draco and Astra weren't there. Ron and Hermione were back at the Three Broomsticks. No one around to interrupt him now.  
  
"I l--"  
  
A cat screamed and ran off. Harry sighed into the crook of Ginny's neck. "Damned animal... what were you going to say, Harry?"  
  
"I lo--"  
  
A loud sound shot out like a gun. His heart started beating again and he breathed hard. "Sorry..." he sighed.  
  
"Nothing to worry about... what were you going to say again?" Ginny said with a smile.  
  
"I lo--"  
  
"Isn't this cute...." Ron's voice broke out.   
  
Harry growled impatiently. "Oh for the love of God!" Harry shot up to his feet and glared angrily at Ron. Ron smiled at him mildly. Hermione came out from behind him.  
  
"Sorry Harry.. this must be a popular spot...." Hermione said weakly, her cheeks flushed pink.  
  
Ginny brushed the snow off of her as she stood up. "Well... we had better go back to the castle."  
  
"You're right, Ginny..." Hermione smiled at her. "Come on Ron... play time is over..."  
  
"But-But... I haven't even started yet!" Ron whined as Hermione dragged him to the caoches. Harry was happy no less. He was with Ginny and when he went home, he would be with his friends. 


	13. A Knight of a Different Color

A/N: I just finished reading A Swiftly Tilting Planet today. I enjoyed it. I missed Calvin, however. He's pretty cool, y'know? Kinda like Ron in that way that you just take one look at him and you can't help but think he's adorable and cool.  
  
I am so pathetic.. I have a Rupert Grint Shrine on my HP site... I'm gonna have to put up some of the doujinshi that I find on there for people to look at so they don't have to look everywhere for it. Like I do.... which actually isn't as hard as it sounds. You just have to know what it is you are sifting through the various grains of information to find the gold hiding there waiting to be found.  
  
I'm gonna start reading An Acceptable Time soon... Can anyone tell me when the Cos Soundtrack is coming out? And when Book Five is comin' out as well? I'm holding out for those in particular, but I'm holding out for CCS: mistress of the Clow book 2 and Angelic Layer #3.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Thirteen  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry woke up in the middle of the night and sat up in bed. He was at Sirius' house for the Christmas Holidays. He was in his room with Ron and Draco sleeping on the floor in cots that he and Sirius had erected.  
  
He walked around Ron's cot and walked out the door to his room. He had woken up because of a dream he was having. In the dream, he was walking around a strange cave with Astra behind him. She touched a stone on the wall of the cave and it opened up and showed a chamber. He was suddenly back in the Chamber of Secrets except it was caved in with rock and rubble. Then, he woke up and here he was now.  
  
He walked down the stairs to the living room and sat down. He sighed at his own head. His scar was burning, but it wasn't. It was weird how it was happening. He knew something was going to happen, was happening, but he didn't have a clue what.  
  
He glanced around the darkened room. He looked at the window. There was something going on outside. He walked over to the window and saw a house burning. A building at the least.  
  
He ran out the door toward the flaming structure. There were people screaming and running. He wasn't in the small village where Sirius' house was. He was in someplace that looked a bit like Diagon Alley.   
  
He stopped and watched the flames grow higher. It was like being stuck in the great time wind back in his sixth year. Like being rooted to the spot as Cedric was killed. He couldn't move.  
  
He heard something behind him and he was able to whirl around. He saw Astra, but he wasn't sure it was Astra. She didn't have shoulder length hair anymore. She had long, waist length silvery blonde hair that was flowing around her, like a breeze was blowing through it. There was a blankness to her blue-grey eyes.  
  
She was wearing a bright silver thing around her neck that hurt Harry's eyes to look at. When she spoke, it was like her voice was carried on the wind. "Do you want to live...?"  
  
"What did you say?" Harry asked as he squinted at her brightness. She spoke in a voice that had no accent to it. He now saw that she was wearing white and silver robes.   
  
"Do you want to live....?" she asked again.  
  
"I don't understand... what are you talking about...." Harry found that he was on his knees now. There was a screaming in his head.  
  
He heard something behind him and he glanced. Avalon was behind him in a black Gothic styled dress that reached to the ground. The bell shaped sleeves went over her slender hands. Her long black hair swirled around her much like Astra's.  
  
"The countdown has begun, Harry...." she said in a voice carried on the wind. Then..... Harry woke up.....  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Harry played a game of catch on his broomstick with Ron and Ginny. He was having fun. Sirius had a field behind the house with tall trees to hide them flying, as long as they flew closer to the ground.   
  
It was warm for December, no snow was on the ground except a little bit of frost. Harry was wearing his Weasley sweater with a coat on over it.  
  
"HEY! HARRY!"  
  
Harry concentration was broken and an apple from Ginny hit him in the face. He fell to the ground and rubbed his jaw where the fresh apple had hit him. "Harry! Are you all right?" Ginny said as she clambered off of her broom to get to him. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to hit you...."  
  
"And so the accidents start to happen...." Harry said with a smirk. "I thought you would wait 'till we were married to start that..."  
  
Harry suddenly realized what he had said and felt the heat creep into his cheeks. Ginny was blushing as well, although it wasn't as bright as it usually got. "Sorry..." he mumbled. She kissed him gently and shook her head.  
  
"Don't worry about it..." she said quietly. She helped him off the ground and he glanced around.  
  
"Who the hell called me..." Harry said as he glanced around. He saw no one around.  
  
"HARRY!"  
  
He heard Astra's voice, but couldn't see her. "Where is she..." Harry said. Ginny shrugged.  
  
"Harry! Get up on your broom and look. I think I see her over there!" said Ron from above.  
  
Harry mounted his broom and flew above the trees. He searched where Ron had indicated. He saw Astra waving at him from someplace near a rockface. Draco was near her as well.  
  
He flew over to he position, making sure that he didn't go above the line of trees. He flew through branches and a few vines here and there. He came upon the rockface and he saw Astra jumping up and down to get his attention.  
  
"Harry! I've been calling to you for nearly ten minutes! Where have you been!" Astra said as she ran over to him and threw her arms around him.   
  
"I was playing catch in the field, the question is why you have been calling to me...." Harry said.  
  
She let go of him and ran over to the rockface. She suddenly disappeared into the rock. "Astra? Where the blazes...."  
  
"Right here! It's a spell, see?" Astra said from the rock. Her head suddenly appeared from the rock. "It's a cloaking spell, much like what my mother taught me when I was little or sort of like that invisibility cloak you've got."  
  
"You have an invisibility cloak? Interesting....." Draco suddenly spoke. Harry had forgotten that he was there. He was grinning evilly at Harry.  
  
"Oblivioso Temporium Word!" Astra had her wand raised at Draco and he was hit with a flash of light. She smiled at Harry. "He won't remember anything about that invisibility cloak you've got....."  
  
Harry sighed and smiled at her. "You startled me, you know that? Where did you learn about a spell like that? I thought you had a bad memory for spell work."  
  
"I do... but Nevaeh told me about it when she went rampaging through the library." Astra said with a smile. "Come on... It's really cool in here... let's see what this place is hiding."  
  
Harry walked through the rock and found himself inside a cave. He looked around and saw stalagmites and stalactites everywhere. The long stalactites were hanging down in a sort of menacing manner.  
  
They walked through the cave and Harry shivered. The chill was more than his coat could manage. They walked through until they found a dead end. Harry recognized this place.  
  
"I know this place.... but from what..." Harry mumbled.  
  
"So do I, Harry... there is severe magic here...." she said in a cautionary tone.   
  
Harry looked at the wall in front of them. There was a painting on the stone. It was of a giant black bird. Astra touched the painting and the wall disintegrated. She fell through.  
  
"What the hell?!" Astra said in surprise.  
  
Harry walked through the area where the wall had been. He walked over to a torch lit wall and stared at it. "It's as though we were expected."  
  
"You were...." said a low voice behind them.  
  
Harry turned and saw a woman with long black hair pulled into a braid and large black eyes that had no hint of white in them. She wore a black dress with see-trough fabric feathers along her sleeves and the hem of her skirt. "I am Zillia.... now... where is the eye... I am looking for it..."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Astra said as she got to her feet.   
  
"The all seeing eye... the one eye... The Raven's Eye...." Zillia said as she cocked her head to one side in a questioning manner. "If you please... I will take it now and kill you quickly for my master..."  
  
"The only person that is going to die is you, trespasser..." came a second voice. It sounded similar to Astra's, but it had a Scottish accent to it.  
  
Harry turned and saw a tall woman with long red hair pulled into a long crimped braid with gold laced into it. She had violet eyes that were boring into Harry like lasers. She wore armor and leather with a brilliant red stone set on her breastplate with two dragons encircling the formed metal holding the stone in their claws.  
  
"Who the bloody hell are you?" said Zillia indignantly.  
  
"I am Devnet the Dragon, infidel.... and you will have to take the stone from me if you are the one to do so...." Devnet said with a sneer.  
  
Zillia smile cruelly. "Then I shall have to kill you as well...." she said with a cold laugh.   
  
Suddenly, Zillia was flying through the air with two sets of cruel claws outstretched, waiting to tear through flesh. Devnet swung out her sword and Zillia was thrown away. Harry watched in awe at the blade. It looked a lot like Godric Gryffindor's although there were dragons on the blade itself.  
  
It had a long handle and the blade itself was long and furious. It looked like a cleiborn, almost, except it was slightly smaller. Astra noted the size differences. Devnet wielded it like it was a samurai sword, however. She didn't heft it like it was a heavy thing.  
  
Zillia stared at her arm when she got to he feet. The fringe was cut off. "This is my favorite dress, you heathen!" She growled.  
  
"I told you... you have to take it from me... if you are a coward, I'm sure that whatever master you serve is one as well." Devnet sneered.  
  
Zillia growled and charged again. Devnet dodged Zillia's attacks easily. She didn't even make her mighty sword slash at Zillia. Then, Zillia, panting and furious, charged at Devnet again. Devnet sliced the blade against Zillia's side, spattering blood onto the wall.  
  
Zillia was still alive, though. She stood up and growled. "Damn you..."  
  
"Go little weakling.... you are not the one to take the stone... go back to your master!" Devnet said in a booming voice.  
  
Zillia growled and turned into a giant black bird. It cawed angrily and flew through the entrance. Devnet the Dragon turned to Harry now.  
  
"How about you... are you planning on taking the stone?" she asked his with a wide grin. "You're awfully adorable...."  
  
Harry paled, but stood his ground. "I didn't come in here for trouble... we just stumbled on this place...."  
  
"That's right... you've got a problem with him, you take it up with me...." Astra said. She took a familiar Tae Kwon Do fighting stance and glared at her.  
  
"Astra... what the hell are you doing! Stop that! Get back before you get yourself hurt!" Harry hissed at her.  
  
"Just trying to defend a guy! We all know how much men are useless when it comes to fighting a girl...." Astra said with a cheerful smile. "Relax.... I won't get hurt..."  
  
"Indeed... you have my face.... and you bear the star...." Devnet said.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You are the one who was foretold..... I was to told to only let this stone be taken by the star...." Devnet said. Astra relaxed her position and stared hard at Devnet. Devnet began to sing.  
  
"The star will be with friend   
and will be ready to defend....   
The star of white is the one   
to whom the stone belongs....  
The star is light   
find the star and surety is right....."  
  
She finished and Astra stared at her. "Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Which was an overstatement since Astra had no clue what was going on. She looked to Harry and he just shrugged. Devnet sighed heavily. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I have been locked up in here for a very long time... I was asleep until now. I miss my dear sons....." She gave a small sob and dried her eyes on the back of her gloved hands.  
  
"Boy, you have been in here a long time haven't you..." Astra knelt down next to Devnet and patted the woman on her back.  
  
"Astra? Harry? Are you in there?" came Draco's voice from outside of the entrance. He suddenly appeared at the cave door. "What the..."  
  
Devnet stared at him. Harry watched as she stood up and walked over to him. He was a good bit taller than her, but he looked rather paler than normal. She poked and prodded him, pinching and looking at his coat and sweater. "Amazing.... my youngest is here and isn't...."  
  
"What?" All three of the teenagers said in unison.  
  
"You are the spitting image of my dear little Kierren.... but it isn't you...." she said as she held his face. Harry fought the urge to laugh. Draco looked like he was fighting the urge to run away.  
  
"Um... miss Devnet... that's my boyfriend...." Astra said with a sheepish smile.  
  
"This lad? Hm... seems fitting...." she said with a grin. She walked away from Draco toward Astra. "Now... take the stone from me... I now know where my lineage has gone... I am happy that my youngest was able to live happy without me there..."  
  
"....."  
  
"He was only six when I was called to do this job.... I lost track of time when dear old Godric put me to sleep...."  
  
No one answered this time. Harry saw a sad light coming from Devnet. She started singing again.  
  
"Mighty star of the west....  
You have passed thine test....  
Take what is yours and leave...  
And save the one who is in need...."  
  
Astra reached forward and took the stone from Devnet's breastplate. There was a great wind that swept through the cave. Astra held onto the stone even through the massive shaking she felt racking her body.  
  
Devnet was disappearing. Her body was becoming light and fading. Astra watched as Devnet smiled and a tear flowed from her eye down her cheek. "Take care of my little one, dear star...."  
  
Harry crouched down to the ground and tried to watch. Devnet disappeared into the wind and Astra glowed brilliant white as the stone floated up and made a place on her gold chain that held the locket that he and his friends had given her on her birthday back in his fifth year.  
  
Suddenly, she fell to the ground and the light disappeared. Harry rushed to her side and found that Draco was beside him. Draco lifted her up and brushed a few wayward strands of silvery hair from her pale face.  
  
"Are you alright, Astra?" Harry asked.   
  
Astra opened her eyes and gazed up at Draco, then at Harry. She smiled. "Yes.. I am fine...." Draco helped her up.  
  
There was a rumbling and rocks started falling on the inside of the cave. "It's going to collapse! We have to get out of here!" Draco shouted above the rumbling.  
  
Harry led Draco out of the cave as he carried Astra in his arms. The cave collapsed as Draco put Astra down on the ground. They watched as the spell to the main entrance disappeared and Harry was able to see the rocks the blocked the cave.  
  
"Let's head back..." Harry said. He picked up his broom and motioned for Draco to pick Astra up again. They headed back to Sirius' house. 


	14. Werewolf Lovin'

A/N: Okay....  
  
I own none of this except me own characters, but of course ya already know that... It's a bit late to be mentioning all this isn't it? HAHA... ::sheepish grin::  
  
EEEK! I just saw another preview for CoS! AAAH! When is book freakin' FIVE supposed to be out anyway! ACK!   
  
YO! JK ROWLING! GET THAT BOOK OUT NOW BEFORE I SHOW ASTRA TO YOU! AND SHE AIN'T TOO HAPPY!  
  
I've been drawing Harriet and the Chronos Stone. I wish I had a computer to deal with. That way I can use my scanner to show you all the perty pictures I drew! ::weep:: I wanna see CoS! ::whimper::  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Fourteen  
  
  
  
  
When they got back to Hogwarts and the school term started, Harry was glad for the brief distraction from being Head Boy. Harry had told Hermione and Ron about the incident in the cave. Hermione said that she thought she had remembered something about a Devnet the Dragon in her text books.  
  
Meanwhile, Sirius was going to hold Professor Lupin to his bet. Harry felt sorry for Professor Lupin. He knew what would happen if he didn't take his potion that very day.  
  
On the day before the full moon, Harry watched Professor Lupin glancing nervously about the Great Hall. Professor Snape seemed to notice it as well. He kept watching Lupin like a hawk.  
  
Professor McGonagall was sitting next to Professor Dumbledore and ate her breakfast like she was in the middle of a conference. Professor Trelawny, however, kept making eye contact with Professor Lupin and batting her eyes behind those bug like glasses of hers. She may have looked younger, but she still reminded Harry of a giant praying mantis.  
  
"Does anyone notice how much she looks like a giant praying mantis?" Ron asked through a mouthful of eggs.  
  
"And how much she's making eyes at poor Professor Lupin?" said Nevaeh.  
  
"Now there's an image I didn't need...." Astra commented. "A headless Lupin....."  
  
"What?" Ron nearly spat his eggs across the table at Hermione.  
  
Hermione kept her expression straight. "Honestly, Ron.... how did you ever get through primary school like that..."  
  
"In case you don't recall, Wizarding families don't generally send their children to muggle schools, Hermione...." Ron grimaced.  
  
"After a female praying mantis mates...." Hermione started in exasperation.  
  
"She bites off the male's head and eats it...." Astra finished. Ron gulped.  
  
"I seem to remember something about that...." Ron said. "Now I've got that image in my head...."  
  
"Make sure Hermione doesn't bite it off...." Astra said without glancing up. "Of course.... you might not mind that..." She added with a smile as she glanced up and waggled her eyebrows at Ron. Ron's ears went pink.  
  
"Oh... by the way.... I just looked up Draco's family and there was a mention of a Devnet being in the lineage...." Hermione said as she read one of her text books.  
  
"Really, now...." Astra said with a smile. "Won't Draco be happy... There was a Gryffindor in his all Slytherin background...." The smile suddenly became evil.  
  
"Don't smile like that, Astra.... it's too creepy...!" Nevaeh said.  
  
"Just be glad that she's not doing the Miss Snape laugh...." Kennedy said.   
  
"Five.... four... three... two..." Avalon said. Suddenly, Astra burst into a horrible laugh that sounded exactly like Miss Snape.  
  
"Please stop! Yer hurting my ears!" Nevaeh growled. Astra was suddenly hit in the head with a book. Avalon was putting her hand down and looking satisfied as Harry glanced at her.  
  
"How did you know she was trained by Gryffindor?" Hermione said.  
  
Astra rubbed her head where the book had hit her. "It was obvious!"  
  
In Care of Magical Creatures, with Professor Lupin, he showed the class a small blue, speckled bid that sat quietly on his shoulder. He looked rather nervous as he walked around the tree he was holding class under. Harry watched incredulously as every girl in the class watched his every move. Even Hermione did. Nevaeh and Astra kept slapping themselves into orientation. At one point, Astra had accidentally thrown her glasses off and they landed on Neville.  
  
"This is a Jobberknoll... it is found in northern Europe and America. It eats small insects and doesn't make any sound what so ever." Professor Lupin said as he patted the bird on it's head. "That is to say... it doesn't make any sound until the moment of it's death at which point it lets out a long scream that is composed of every sound it has ever heard regurgitated backwards."  
  
"Does anyone know what Jobberknoll feathers are good for?" he asked with a nervous smile. Hermione and Astra raised their hands. Astra looked like she decided to forget about it and put her hand down. Professor Lupin gulped and smiled. "Miss Granger?"  
  
"They're used in Truth Serums and Memory potions...." she said with a wink at Professor Lupin. Ron growled and grabbed Hermione gruffly around the waist, bringing her closer to him. Harry started worrying about Ginny being in a different year than he was. If the level headed Hermione was affected like this, Harry didn't want to dream of what Ginny would be like.  
  
When class was over, Harry went up to Professor Lupin. He looked like misery. "I should never have made that bet...." he whimpered. "All the boys are going to hate me now.... not to mention Professor Snape will try to annihilate me if he catches Professor McGonagall even glancing at me! I'm in no shape to deal with that man's fury....."  
  
"You've done it before, as I recall...." Harry said as he patted Professor Lupin on his back.  
  
"That was when I could think clearly. I can't right now you see.... er... how do I put it in a good way..." Professor Lupin said as he scratched his chin. There was stubble visible there and he looked as though he didn't get any sleep. "There is no good way..." he gulped.  
  
"I already know, Professor..." Harry said, trying to save the man some embarrassment. The look of shock on Lupin's face made Harry nervous. "Er... that is... I looked at the er.. Moon charts of most werewolves... er... yeah..."  
  
Professor Lupin stared at Harry in a strange way. Harry had always found it difficult to decipher he man's gaze. Professor Lupin sighed and laughed suddenly. "HA ha... Well.. It's lunch time, I bet..."  
  
Harry walked with Professor Lupin up to the castle. There was suddenly a flash of chestnut hair that was rather bushy. Professor Lupin was thrown against the nearest wall as Harry recognized the girl that had pressed herself up against Professor Lupin.  
  
"Ah... Miss Granger... could you get off of me?" Professor Lupin said weakly.   
  
Harry wasn't entirely sure what he should do. He just stood and watched until something came up. Hermione purred like a cat at Professor Lupin. "You know... I never notice how gorgeous your eyes are, Professor.... how quick your smile..."  
  
"M-Miss Granger... could you please not do THATACK!" Hermione had grabbed Professor Lupin somewhere Harry couldn't see. Professor Lupin squeaked helplessly.   
  
"Alright... Hermione, I think Ron won't be too happy if he saw you like this..." Harry said as he started over towards Hermione.  
  
Hermione growled at him and held out her wand. "Petrificus Totalus!"  
  
Harry went stiff and fell to the ground. He couldn't move and he knew exactly why. He had been hit with a full body bind and knew very well that he couldn't help Professor Lupin.  
  
"M-Miss Granger... you shouldn't have done that... you could get your badge revoked if Professor McGonagall sees you." Professor Lupin said in a weak, but authoritative tone.  
  
"I don't particularly care...." Hermione purred at Professor Lupin. Harry tried to move, but it wasn't any use. The spell held on him much like Hermione was on Professor Lupin.  
  
Professor Lupin tried to wriggle away from Hermione, but she boxed him in again. "Mmmmm.... did you know that you just hit a very nice spot on me?" Hermione purred at him. Harry heard a distinct squeak escape Professor Lupin. Then, Harry saw Hermione do something he never figured her to do with a Professor. She locked her lips onto Professor Lupin's and ripped open his white button up shirt.   
  
"Miss Granger..." She grabbed his chest hairs and pulled him nearer. "YEOWCH! Miss Granger stop!"  
  
"Hermione!" Harry managed to shout. His body was starting to loosen up now. The spell was wearing off, but he still couldn't get up.   
  
Hermione growled and glared at Harry. Then, she turned back to Professor Lupin and purred at him again. She kissed Lupin again and this time entangled her hands in his hair, still keeping him pressed up against the wall.  
  
"HERMIONE!?"  
  
Harry saw a very formidable looking Ron in the hallway, although he looked a bit sideways, since Harry was on the floor. "Harry! Why aren't you doing anything?!"  
  
"Do you honestly think I would be here if I could?" Harry said flatly. "She hit me with a body bind."  
  
"Could one of you two possibly help me here?" said Professor Lupin, looking rather tired of dodging Hermione's hands.  
  
Ron walked over to Hermione and yanked on her shoulders. She didn't budge and Ron flew backwards. "Damn it..." he growled. He muttered even more curse words as he stalked over to Hermione again. "Gerroff him, Hermione!"  
  
Somehow, Ron had managed to tear Hermione off of Professor Lupin. They landed on the ground together, with Ron's arms encircling Hermione's waist protectively. Harry felt his arms move suddenly and he felt himself get to his feet. The spell had worn off.   
  
"Ron? What's going on? Why are we on the ground like this?" Hermione's voice broke the silence.   
  
"You don't remember?" Ron said perplexed.  
  
Harry walked over to a slumped down Professor Lupin. He had slid down the wall and sighed. "It has been so long since I have gone through that...."  
  
"I bet... and you still have the rest of the day to deal with before the bet is over." Harry said as he helped Professor Lupin to his feet. Harry glanced over to where Ron and Hermione were. Ron was grinning evilly down at a perplexed Hermione. Then, he kissed her.  
  
"Let's leave them alone, shall we?" Professor Lupin said with a smile. "I'm just glad that she didn't get very far..."  
  
They walked down the hallway toward the great hall. "It looks as though you need a new shirt... the buttons were torn off..." Harry said.  
  
"Oh Remus...." said a seductive voice. The color drained from Professor Lupin's face. He gulped and Harry turned around. Madame Pomfrey was standing behind them in something rather racy. "Professor... I've been a bad girl... could you give me my punishment....?" Professor Lupin gulped and tore down the hallway. Madame Pomfrey ran after him and they disappeared around the corner.   
  
Thankfully, the next day was a Hogsmeade Saturday. Harry walked with Ginny, Ron and Hermione to the Leaky Cauldron for some butterbeer. Harry was greeted with a rather amusing scene. "I'm sorry! I didn't know that poor Miss Granger was going to jump you like that!" Sirius was on his knees pleading Professor Lupin.  
  
Professor Lupin simply drank his butterbeer with something like an angry glare on his face. Harry saw Hermione blushing madly. Ron looked around and took Hermione through the door. "I'm going to play it safe for now..." he mumbled.  
  
"Come on... I was just hoping for Madame Pomfrey to jump you! I didn't think Hermione or any of Harry's friends were going to do that!" Sirius continued to plead.  
  
There was a surprised look on Professor Lupin's face and he snapped around at Sirius. He rolled his eyes and turned back to his drink. Sirius growled angrily and put three gold galleons onto the table a little gruffly. "There... there's you're money.... happy?!"  
  
"What's going on?" asked Harry as he brought Ginny over to the table.  
  
"Humorless here isn't talking to me...." Sirius said gruffly.  
  
"I am not without humor.... I can see how your childish mind could think that, but I am not humorless...." Professor Lupin said calmly.  
  
"Oh, so you do speak, eh?" Sirius said with a grin. "Come on... it wasn't all that bad was it? I mean... how many of those boys would love to be in your shoes at that time...." Sirius countered.  
  
"Not many.... not unless they have the personality type of you...." Lupin said into his drink. "And that's not say anything..."  
  
Sirius growled impatiently. Ginny smiled. "Well... at least you weren't hurt!" she said cheerfully.  
  
"See? You weren't hurt! See? I'm not a complete fool!" Sirius said.  
  
"No... not complete... but this is also coming from one of..." Professor Lupin stopped and smiled at Ginny. Harry watched as she started blushing to the roots of her hair. "One of the most annoying men I have ever known..." He said calmly to Sirius.  
  
"Hey... at least you had some fun, right?" Sirius said with a smile. "I mean.. It wasn't completely horrible... not like when you were back in school..."  
  
  
"No..." Professor Lupin sighed and drank some more of his drink. "I think we've had enough.... I'm going to Honeydukes...."  
  
With that, Professor Lupin stood up and put a few coins on the bar. Sirius patted Lupin on his back and they walked out together. Ginny turned to Harry and smiled. "What was going on yesterday anyway...."  
  
"I'll tell you later, Ginny.. It's a very long story...." Harry said with a smile.  
  
Astra was in a jewelry shop with Draco. Draco was bored, so he just looked at some things that looked shiny. Astra stood by the door to the shop. She smiled at the breeze that flowed through her hair.  
  
Fred Weasley showed up and surprised her. She smiled up at him. "Fred--"  
  
Fred kissed her on her lips softly. He pulled away and ran his hands through her hair. "Make sure he takes care of you...." Then, he let go of her and ran away. Astra ran after him.  
  
Harry was walking with Ginny towards Honeydukes. He suddenly caught sight of flaming red hair that wasn't Ginny's. He saw Fred Weasley waving and smiling at them. He ran over and hugged Ginny. He whispered something to her and clapped Harry on his back. Then, he ran away.   
  
Ginny looked perplexed. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
Suddenly, Harry caught the scent of smoke. The clouds overhead had been threatening rain that day and they were thundering now. Harry heard a scream of agony and terror coming from the direction of Zonko's.  
  
"Oh no...." Harry managed to say. He ran through the crowds toward Zonko's. It finally started raining. He turned a corner and what he saw made him feel sick with grief and anger.  
  
Astra was kneeling in the mud with the white face of Fred in her lap. He was a mangled mess of blood, mud, and shredded clothes. Blood flowed from his body onto the ground, where it stained Astra's jeans and mingled with the mud. His eyes were blank and open, staring up at the rain.  
  
Zonko's itself was was burning. Harry recognized the image of the burning building from something. The fire surged on through the rain, but there was some sizzling as the flames started to go out.  
  
"No... no... not him..." Harry muttered. He suddenly saw Ron and Hermione running over. Nevaeh and George showed up as well. Each was panting hard as if they had just run a long distance.  
  
"Oh no... Fred! FRED!" George cried and he ran over. He knelt down next to Astra and touched the white face of Fred.  
  
"He's dead...." said Astra in a flat tone.  
  
"No.. No..." Ginny kept mumbling against Harry's shoulder. He held her close to him. She cried softly against him.  
  
Hermione was crying as well, although Ron was walking over to where George and Astra were with what was left of Fred. He cried as much as Ginny was. George held Ron around his shoulders. "It's okay, Ron... It's alright...."  
  
"I saw him... I saw and he ran over to me and laughed and pinched my cheek and joked around... then he ran off...." Ron choked through his tears.  
  
"I saw him too... I was with Nev over there and he said something about telling mum about all the REMEMBERING I was doing with her....Then, he ran off before I could punch him." George said.  
  
Astra was remarkably silent. Avalon showed up suddenly, looking solemnly at her older sister. She knelt down into the mud and blood mixture combed her fingers through Astra's rope like wet hair. "C... L... U...." Astra said in a dead tone as she traced her index finger along the scratchy writing.  
  
Draco showed up and wrapped his arms around Astra's shoulders for comfort. He pressed his forehead to her dripping hair and sighed. "Come on, Astra...."   
  
"Clue..." Hermione said.   
  
"Good bye .... Fred..." Harry said softly to the wind. Harry thought he heard Fred's voice on the wind say the same. The rain had finally quenched the flames of Zonko's. Now there was nothing but a blackened mess where Zonko's stood. 


	15. Split Personality

A/N: Okay... I just saw the HBO: First Look of CoS! That's it! I am now a fan of Lucius Malfoy! AAARGH! Jason Isaacs is so gorgeous! ::faints::  
  
Okay... I gotta control meself.... I still despise the guy, but hey... he is a looker! I must now indulge a little bit.... forgive me my fangirlness for this....  
  
Word of note, right now I'm in a battle with the Austin Public Library. I'll find a way to get this stuff up, so don't you worry. Have fun reading!  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Fifteen  
  
  
  
  
February came and Harry was being pressed by Hermione to get Ginny a valentine. He remembered his second year when that dwarf sat on him and sang that horrible poem Ginny had written.   
  
"You've got to give her one. You forgot last year!" Hermione growled at him. "Lord knows what she's going to do to you if you forget again!"  
  
"What about Ron? He forgets just as easily as I do!" Harry huffed at her.  
  
"He's different... I have my ways of getting him to remember...." Hermione said with a sly smile.  
  
"Alright... alright.. I'll figure something out... I just hope there is no repeat of that one valentine....." Harry said. He cringed at the thought of the valentine and the dwarf.   
  
"It wasn't THAT bad.... honestly... you are worse than Ron, you know that!" Hermione growled.  
  
"Worse?! How can I be worse than the guy who chases Veela in his spare time!" Harry said.   
  
"Like you don't? Really, Harry... what's the matter?" Hermione calmed down and breathed deeply.  
  
"It's just this whole valentine's day business.... After that one valentine's day in our second year with LOCKHEART, I was pretty much turned off from the idea..." Harry said. He calmed himself as well.  
  
"You shouldn't blame Ginny for that mess.... She may have made the valentine, but she was only trying to give you a clue...." Harry stared at Hermione with a half smile. "Blame the old Lockheart for the dwarves dressed as cupids. I hated them even more than you did." Harry raised his eyebrows at her. "Long story and it's not one I'm willing to tell...."  
  
Harry dropped it and sighed. "Okay... what do you suggest, oh mighty valentine goddess?"  
  
Hermione blushed slightly and smiled. "Well... I don't think I'm THAT good...." She composed herself and thought. "How about a nice bunch of flowers and your own valentine card. It's not much of an idea, but it is nice and sweet..."  
  
Harry suddenly got an idea. He grinned. "Thanks, Hermione! I've got the perfect thing!" Then, he hurried off to the library.   
  
He nearly ran into Astra on the way. Astra slapped him on his shoulder when he stopped. "Watch it, guy! I'm goin' somewhere too, and I'd like to get there in one piece."  
  
"Sorry, Astra... I have something to do! Bye!" Harry, then, hurried off. Astra stared after him incredulously, then smiled.   
  
She continued to walk toward the dungeon area. She had stowed in her bag a valentine card she had made Draco. She blushed slightly at the thought of giving it to him.   
  
Suddenly, she ran into someone. "Oops! I'm sorry, sir, I d--"   
  
"Hello, Miss Knight..." sneered Mr. Malfoy down at Astra. "I was just looking for you..."  
  
"What are you doing here..." Astra said.   
  
"Well... I got a letter from Draco saying that he was in love with a lovely girl.... His mother knew that he was talking about you, but she never said anything, the poor dear..." Mr. Malfoy said. He had with him his cane with the silver snake head. He lifted it to Astra's forehead and brushed her hair aside. "To think I gave Draco every opportunity to become great..."  
  
Astra shoved the snake head cane away. "You are talking about Pansy, I expect...."  
  
"She is a good girl... just right for Draco...." Mr. Malfoy stated.  
  
"She's obsessed with Draco.... The woman ought to be in a padded cell!" Astra said through gritted teeth.  
  
"She reminds me so much of Narcissa..." Mr. Malfoy said with a satisfied smile.  
  
"And that explains her many quirks..." Astra finished.  
  
Mr. Malfoy narrowed his cold eyes down at Astra and she could hear her heart start to pound. He advanced on her until Astra realized that her back was against a wall. "How dare you talk about my wife in that manner..." he said in a hushed tone.  
  
Astra gulped and felt the blood drain from her face. She still kept her own cold gaze locked onto Mr. Malfoy's. There was a cold, cruel smile that spread across Mr. Malfoy's pale face. "You keep this up and you'll be a Mrs. Malfoy yourself...."  
  
He bent down to her ear breathed on it. "I'll expose you for what you are...." He used the snake head on his cane to trace a line from her jaw to her collarbone. Astra's breathing became shallow as she tried to keep her heart from pounding so loudly.   
  
"And what would that be....?" she managed to say in a cold tone as her voice shook some.  
  
He took his face away from her ear and smiled at her with a cruel smile. She became aware of his other hand on her waist. He squeezed her waist in a nasty way that hurt. Astra's eyes began to tear up, but she kept her face as straight as she could. "You're afraid of me..."  
  
"I'd be an idiot if I wasn't...." she growled.  
  
He squeezed her side again, harder than before. A gasp of pain escaped her lips. "Don't patronize me...." He said in a low growl. "Why don't you attack me...."  
  
"Because you're Draco's father...." She said with a squeak. "As much as I despise you, I won't harm his family...."  
  
"How noble of you...." Astra felt the fangs of the snake head cane pierce the skin on her collarbone. She felt the metal scratch across her skin, drawing a small trickle of blood. "This is going to make it easier to show Draco what kind of a girl you are...." His face was inches from hers. "A money grubbing harlot...."  
  
"Like Pansy isn't? Puh-leez!" Astra growled. The hand on her side squeezed again, pain shooting through her body. "Specially Mrs. Malfoy.... If you say that she is like Pansy...."  
  
Mr. Malfoy growled at her, showing his teeth like a predator. "That's it! How dare you insult Narcissa that way!" Mr. Malfoy grabbed Astra's necklace and ripped it off. Astra fell to the floor in pain. She felt as thought her entire body was splitting in half. She saw him smile coldly at her and show her the star locket. "My, my.... isn't this interesting... I think I shall give this a proper burial...."   
  
Astra felt something fall into her hand as she doubled over again as pain swept through her. She tried to cry out, but her voice felt like it was doubled. Then.... she blacked out.....  
  
  
Harry sat in the infirmary and waited. Sirius and Professor Lupin had told him that they had found Astra lying on the ground in the hallway. Harry had not realized why it took both of them to carry her there until he, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Kennedy, Avalon and Nevaeh had gone to visit her.  
  
There on two beds were two Astras. One sat up, wearing a white version of what the second Astra was wearing. A white scoop necked sweater and skirt. The second wore what Harry had seen Astra wearing that day, a black scooped neck sweater with red writing on it that said "charmed" and a black skirt.  
  
"This is fun! I didn't realize why my mom was so ditzy until now!" The one in white said.  
  
"Yeah... only because of that damned idiot...." The one in black growled. "I find him, I really will kill him!" Harry saw two small scratches on Astra's collar bone. He also noticed something that he didn't see when he came in. The one in black had human ears.  
  
"You can't do that! Draco will have us for lunch!" The elf Astra gasped.  
  
"That might not be such a bad thing..." smirked the human Astra. There was a groan from Nevaeh and Avalon. "Ah so you two are here... good.. Go find Mr. Malfoy so that I can't tell him that he is a complete a-hole!"  
  
"Mr. Malfoy did this? How?" Professor Lupin asked.  
  
"I don't know how... I just know he did!" growled the one in black.  
  
"Why would he do such a thing...." said Hermione.  
  
"Probably to try to discourage Draco from being with Astra...." Nevaeh said.  
  
"That would be impossible... the way she is now, Draco would be enjoying himself rather than despise this..." Harry said. He tried not to laugh at Ron, who looked as though he were going to be sick.  
  
A grumbling Draco walked into the infirmary. The Astra in black jumped up and pounced on him, wrapping her arms around Draco's neck. "DRACO!"  
  
"Bloody hell!" Draco gasped as the Astra in black nuzzled her nose against his neck. "Why is it that I see two of you?"  
  
"Because your father was so kind to rip our necklace off...." The elf Astra said with a cheerful smile.  
  
"What?!"   
  
The entire room was silent. "Please explain this again?" asked Professor Lupin. Sirius looked as though he were ready to take someone's head off.  
  
"I just now figured it out...." The elf Astra said cheerfully. "When he ripped off our necklace, we split into these two halves...."  
  
"How on Earth is that possible...." said Hermione and Nevaeh.   
  
"Jinx!" Nevaeh laughed.  
  
"Not funny..." Hermione growled.  
  
"Uh uh! You can't say a word until someone else un-jinxes you...." Kennedy smiled.  
  
"Hey! I can deal with that!" Ron said with a wide grin. Hermione growled angrily at him and he gulped. "I un-jinx you... How on Earth is that possible!"  
  
"How did you know to do that?" Kennedy said.  
  
"Hermione does it to me sometimes...." Ron sighed as Hermione gave Nevaeh a satisfied smile.  
  
"I remember when we went into that one shop in Hogsmeade...." The elf Astra said. "There was this strange Irish fellow behind the counter of this one jewelry shop."  
  
"Yeah! He said some weird crap about a warrior in black and red...." The human Astra giggled as she clutched onto Draco.  
  
"Black and red.... That's what Devnet was wearing when we found her!" said Harry as he remembered her fully now. He remembered her armor.  
  
The elf Astra held out the Raven's Eye stone and smiled. Harry stared at the stone. He remembered seeing the light glint off of it in that cave. He walked over and took it from the elf Astra.   
  
"What's this?" Harry indicated the small indentation on the stone.  
  
"I don't know..." said the elf Astra.  
  
"Who did this to you...." said Draco to the Human Astra. Harry turned and watched as Draco traced the small scratches on her collar bone. "They look rather famil---" He stopped as his face went pale. Then, his cheeks twinged pink. "Father...." he said softly.  
  
"He cornered us when we were going down to see you..." said the elf Astra with a smile.   
  
"He was trying to jump us..." said the human Astra with a straight face.   
  
"He reasoned that we were unfit to be your girlfriend...."   
  
"He was trying to prove that we were a money grubbing harlot...."  
  
"We had assured him that we weren't after your money..."  
  
"In a matter of speaking...." said the human Astra. "We told him that Pansy was that kind of girl, but I don't think he liked that..."  
  
"Then, he started squeezing our waist much like you have a tendency to do...." said the elf Astra with unshakable cheerfulness.  
  
"Which is now a large and painful bruise that hurts like hell..."  
  
"Then, we told him very plainly that we weren't like that...."  
  
"We called Mrs. Malfoy a money grubbing harlot...."  
  
"And for some reason he didn't like that...." said the elf Astra.   
  
"You called my mom a--" Draco started with a growl.  
  
The human Astra lifted her shirt off of her stomach. There was a large blue and black bruise on her extremely pale skin. "He ripped off our necklace with our star locket on it and walked off as we started to split in half, saying that he was going to give the necklace a nice burial..."  
  
"There's something about the two pendents being together that kept Astra in her own form...." Hermione said.  
  
"I'll say... we had better find Mr. Malfoy before we lose that locket!" said the Human Astra.  
  
Harry stared at the stone again. He saw the indentation again. "I wonder why..."  
  
"Come on! Harry get off your duff and help out!" said Ginny. Harry gave the elf Astra the stone and trotted over to Ginny.  
  
Harry and Ginny ran to Professor Dumbledore's office. "Oh hell... we need the pass word!" Ginny sighed.  
  
"Not to worry... being Head Boy has its absolute privileges." Harry said with a grin. "Blood Worms!"  
  
"Those awful candies at Honeydukes?" Ginny said in a surprised manner as the gargoyle hopped aside to reveal the door to Professor Dumbledore's office. "I guess it worked!"  
  
They walked up the staircase and emerged in the small office. Fawkes the phoenix was sitting on his perch, staring at Harry with those eyes of his. "Hello Fawkes..."  
  
"Hello, Harry... what brings you and Miss Weasley here?" said a smiling Professor Dumbledore.  
  
"We need to know where Mr. Malfoy went..." said Harry.  
  
"Lucius? I don't recall him saying he was going to visit this weekend..." Dumbledore said in an offhanded manner. "Maybe is skipped his mind... but he really ought to have come to me first...."  
  
"We think that he has done something to Astra, sir..." said Ginny. "I think he tried to scare Astra away from Draco..."  
  
"Scare her away... I do believe that sounds like him..." Dumbledore said. "I recall him scaring the rest of the Slytherins away when he was going out with Narcissa..."  
  
"Please sir... we need to find him... he has Astra's locket..." Harry said. He was beginning to get anxious. Dumbledore gave him a calm stare.  
  
"I think I heard Professor Snape saying something about him today...." Dumbledore said. "About him going to see someone in the Astronomy tower."  
  
Harry would have started laughing if Astra was not split into her two halves. "Thank you, Professor!" Harry dragged Ginny out of the office and headed straight for the Astronomy tower. He ended up running into Draco and the two Astras.   
  
"Watch where you're going, Potter!" Draco snarled. He stood up and brushed himself off.   
  
"Bleeg.... I hate running around in circles like this..." The human Astra said.  
  
"You made up a new word!" The elf Astra said.  
  
"I'll make up yer head if you don't shut up!"   
  
"I think we had better find that locket before the human Astra kills the elf..." Ginny said.  
  
"Where were you two headed for....?" Draco said impatiently.  
  
"The Astronomy Tower...." Harry said hurriedly.  
  
Draco perked up at that. "Isn't it a bit early for that, Potter?" He sneered. Harry blushed as red as Ginny.  
  
"Stuff it! We were told that Mr. Malfoy was headed up there..." Harry growled.  
  
Suddenly, Hermione and Ron were running up from the dungeon area. "Gangway! Evil white wizard with a nasty streak coming through!" they shouted. Avalon, Nevaeh and Kennedy were running up behind them.  
  
"He's coming behind us!" Nevaeh shouted.  
  
"With a very hot temper to boot!" Kennedy shouted.  
  
Suddenly, Harry saw wand blasts coming from behind them. Lucius Malfoy was running after them with his wand out. "I told you to go away!"  
  
"Get him!" shouted the human Astra.  
  
"I agree..." said the elf Astra. The two of them pounced on Mr. Malfoy.   
  
"Give me my friggin necklace!" growled on of the two.   
  
"Give it back before I fry yer ass!" said the elf Astra.  
  
"You have your powers?" said the human Astra in surprise.  
  
"What... you think I wouldn't because I am you?" the elf Astra said.   
  
"Nevermind.... let's get this freak down!"  
  
They managed to get Mr. Malfoy onto the ground. The human Astra started punching Mr. Malfoy on the jaw. The elf Astra was trying to get one of his leather clad hands open. "He's got it in this one! I know it!"  
  
The human Astra took hold of the front of Mr. Malfoy's robes and pulled him up. She growled at him. "Give it back, Mr. Malfoy, or you will know what it is like to be electrocuted..."  
  
Harry walked over and took out his wand. "Mr. Malfoy... do what she says or I'm going to bring you to Professor Dumbledore for disturbing the peace...." He pointed his wand down at Mr. Malfoy's pale, pointed face.  
  
Mr. Malfoy rolled his eyes and threw the human Astra off of him. "I got it! He threw it at me!" said the human Astra after she hit the floor.   
  
"Take it! I don't want something as stupid as that thing..." he growled. He stalked over to Draco and snarled. "Son... you marry this girl and I'll disown you...."  
  
The two Astras blushed pink. Draco stared at his father with a snarl on his pale lips. Harry was astounded at how much Draco looked like a younger version of his father. He looked as though he were having an internal struggle.  
  
There was a long silence until Draco finally growled out something Harry would never have though possible. "Get stuffed, Father! I will be with whomever I wish and if that means being with someone you don't approve of, then that's fine with me!"  
  
Harry stared on in stunned silence as Draco stalked over to the two Astras. He looked as though he were going to show Mr. Malfoy just how much he wanted Astra, but she was still in her two halves. "Damn it...! We need to get her back to normal so I can defy my father!" Draco said.  
  
"I have it!" Harry said. He had been trying to figure it out during the conflict. "The stone on Astra's locket is a chip off of the Raven's Eye stone!"  
  
"So that means all we would have to do would be to just put them together." said the elf Astra.  
  
"I've got the locket..." the human Astra held out the locket.  
  
"I've got the stone...." the elf Astra held out the Raven's Eye.  
  
They put them together and there was suddenly a brilliant light. Draco was enveloped into the light, as was Nevaeh and Ginny. Harry suddenly felt himself become enveloped in the light as he watched Avalon disappear into it. Then.... everything went white.... 


	16. First Year Mayhem

A/N: Okay... so I give ya a cliff hanger, but I'm not all that cruel! What did ya'll think of the interaction between Lucius and Astra? Pretty intense, eh? In my brain there is more, like him and her at each other's throats over issues like teaching the children. He'll want to make at least one of them like himself. Astra would never go for that and Draco would back her up.  
  
I have this new book called Wish. It's by CLAMP. It's really cute, y'know? Kohaku is REALLY adorable. I also read something called Once Upon A More Enlightened Time: More Politically Correct Bedtime Stories. My favorite bedtime story, aside from my granddad making up stories about a beautiful elf maiden named Galadriel, was The Little Mermaid.   
  
The Galadriel thing was my granddad's way of introducing me to the Lord of the Rings. Of course, I never read the books until I heard about the Fellowship coming out. I had aready read the Hobbit and seen the cartoon movie, of which I have a limited edition Hobbit book with stuff from the movie sprinkled about in it. Anyway, my granddad would tell me stories and draw pictures of Galdriel for me. She always wore really cool armor when he drew her, although now I think I draw better than him. ::smirls:: Then, he bought me my very first comic book. ElfQuest.  
  
Enough of my blithering... let's get onto the good stuff!  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Sixteen  
  
  
  
  
"You've got to be joking...." A familiar voice broke through the haze in Harry's mind. He recognized the voice, but it was lower than that of Ron.  
  
Harry opened his eyes and looked around. His glasses had slipped to his nose, so he pushed them up as he sat up. "What happened to Draco's father? Where'd he go?" asked a voice Harry didn't recognize. It had a strange accent.  
  
"He disappeared sometime before we woke up...." said another familiar voice, but lower than Hermione's voice was.  
  
"Just great... now what are we going to do..." said the Ron voice. Harry's brain started processing what he was seeing now. He looked up and saw a tall, thin red haired boy with a long nose and tons of freckles. It was Ron, but he looked older. Like he was in his seventh year.  
  
Hermione was next to him, but she was just as old as Ron. She had a slim figure with long legs that came out from under a short skirt. She held onto Ron's arm in a worried manner. "Their so young now... I wonder if they remember anything...." she said as she bit her lip.  
  
Harry saw who they were talking to. There was another tall, thin red haired boy with tons of freckles and a heart shaped face. He wore glasses as well. "Ah don't know, Herm-ah-o-nee..." he said in his strange accent. It sounded American.  
  
"Hello... what's going on?" Harry said as he rubbed his eyes behind his glasses. "Where am I now?"  
  
"Oh hell... I don't think they will remember anything!" Ron whimpered.  
  
Harry looked around him again. He found that he was falling out of his clothes, which was somewhat unsurprising, but these were made for someone much taller, not fatter. He blushed slightly at his indecency.  
  
He looked to the other kids around him. He saw Draco lying next to a girl with very long silvery hair. She had rather large, elf like ears with two stones on the one he saw. They too were falling out of their clothes. Draco had one arm wrapped around the girl's waist in a possessive manner.  
  
He looked to his left and saw a girl sitting up with long brown hair and big brown eyes. Her blunt cut bangs fell into her eyes and hid her eyebrows. She rubbed her eyes blearily and looked around. She too was falling out of her clothes.   
  
Harry turned around and saw two more girls. Both were rather small and thin. The thinner of the two was a girl with very long black hair that swirled around her and across the floor, big black eyes and tanned skin. Th second girl was smaller than the blacked eyed girl and had long flaming red hair and bright brown eyes. He recognized her from the train station.  
  
"Astra..." sniffled the black eyed girl to the long one with silver hair. That girl sat up blearily and stared at the black eyed girl angrily. "Astra... I swear I saw daddy again...." the black eyed girl sniffled again.  
  
Harry blushed slightly at the girl named Astra. She was falling out of a black sweater that had a rather large neck. It fell around her shoulders unnoticed. "Don't be stupid, Avalon... You know as well as I do that daddy is dead and does NOT show up anywhere as a ghost!" she growled at the girl named Avalon. Harry guessed that they were sisters.  
  
"Oh no! What happened! What am I doing at Hogwarts now!" said the red haired girl, holding her hands to her cheeks. "Ron? Ron!"  
  
"Ginny... don't worry, Ginny... you're alright!" said the older Ron as he bent down and held his sister, Ginny.  
  
Draco woke up now. "What the blazes? Did that stupid Potter do something to me..." he growled. Harry was about to say something when Astra turned to him and leaned over onto her knees and hands, the sweater dropping around her shoulders. She got into his face and looked at him questioningly.   
  
"Hello... who are you?" she said with a cheerful smile. Harry saw Draco blushing a brilliant shade of pink as he looked down at Astra's chest. She followed his gaze and pink twinged her incredibly pale cheeks. "ACK! Perv!" She slapped Draco across his cheek as she pulled the sweater up.  
  
"Where are we, Astra?" said the brunette.   
  
"Not at Firestrom, that's for sure...." said Astra with a slightly heavy accent. It was similar to the other red haired boy.  
  
"Where's Kennedy...." said Avalon. The red haired boy with glasses knelt down and picked up Avalon and held her to him. "You're Kennedy...." she said in a surprised tone.  
  
"Yes I am, Avalon...." Kennedy said with a cheerful smile. "Not to worry... everything will be alright.."  
  
"That bleeding hurt...!" growled Draco as he rubbed his cheek. He glared scornfully at Astra. She stuck out her tongue at him and pulled the sweater up higher. "You..." he called her something that made her growl angrily at him and slap him again.  
  
"Be nice to a girl, why doncha, shrimp!" she growled at him.  
  
"From what I can tell you aren't a girl..." Draco growled impatiently as he rubbed his other cheek.  
  
"What the hell is goin' on?" said the brunette incredulously. "One minute I'm helping Astra here with her charms homework, the next I'm here in baggy clothes and with strangers!"  
  
"You are at Hogwarts, school for witchcraft and wizardry..." Harry said. "I was practicing Quidditch with the Gryffindor team, is the last thing I remember..." He suddenly had a thought. "I was just thinking about who would be going after what's in the third floor corridor." He said as he looked up at the taller Ron and Hermione. They paled.  
  
"Good God... he's reverted back to first year!" Hermione said as she gulped.  
  
"I'm in my first year as well..." said Astra as she raised her hand.  
  
"Same here..." said the brunette.  
  
"I'm not supposed to be here yet...." said Avalon.  
  
"Niether am I..." said Ginny. Harry glanced over at her and she blushed to the roots of her hair.  
  
"It looks like they all reverted the same amount of years..." said Kennedy as he held onto Avalon. He hefted her up to get a better hold. "About six or seven years into the past...."  
  
"Interesting...." said Hermione.  
  
"Wait a second... are you saying that I'm supposed to be seventeen?" said Harry. He tried to figure it out, but the very idea hurt his head.  
  
"Sounds about right..." Ron said as he patted his sniffling little sister. "Well.. At least you get to come, eh Ginny?" She smiled up at him cheerfully and hugged him. "That's my little sister for you... attached to her older brother..."  
  
Astra looked like she was having an internal conflict. Her large blue-grey eyes stared at Harry in concentration. Harry raised his eyebrows and stared back. She was wearing glasses as well, but they were oval and silver rimmed.  
  
"What's you name...." Harry said, trying to break the silence between them.  
  
"Astra Knight.... knight as in knights of the round table...." she said still staring at him in concentration.  
  
"I'm Harry.... Harry Potter..." Harry said as he smiled at her. He watched as she lifted her steel eyed gaze to his forehead and smiled.   
  
"I thought you looked familiar...." she said. "I see you in my dreams all the time...."  
  
"Dreams?" Harry said.   
  
Astra crawled over to Harry and sat down cross legged with her hands in her lap. "Dreams... I sometimes have these strange dreams where I see a boy with green eyes and messy black hair. He looks older in my dreams, but I know it's you..." she said with a smile.  
  
"Er...." was all Harry managed to say.  
  
"Does anyone else find this incredibly boring...." said Draco in his drawling voice.  
  
"Does anyone else want me to smack the crap outta him..." said Astra as she growled at him.  
  
"I think we need to get these guys to see Professor McGonagall immediately..." said Kennedy. They each picked themselves up and started walking.  
  
When they reached the transfiguration classroom, Harry saw Professor Snape massaging McGonagall's neck with one hand as he leaned over and watched her work. She looked up and Harry didn't see the Professor McGonagall he remembered. She looked much younger as did Professor Snape.  
  
"Now isn't this interesting...." said Snape with a sneer. Harry glared at Snape.  
  
"You've got to be joking...." said McGonagall as she stared incredulously at Harry.  
  
"That's what I said..." Ron stated. Hermione pinched his arm and he recoiled with his sister in his arms. "OW!"  
  
Ginny giggled. "Ronnie's got a girlfriend!"  
  
"My name is Hermione Granger, Ginny..." Hermione said with a smile.  
  
"Ronnie and Hermione sitting in a tree.... K-I-S-S-I-N-G...." Ginny started singing. Ron's ears went pink, while Hermione giggled with Ginny.  
  
"They've all been aged about six or seven years backwards..." said Kennedy.  
  
"You're not joking..." McGonagall whimpered.  
  
"This should be interesting.... a pint sized Potter all over again...." Snape sneered at Harry.  
  
"This is serious, Severus... we've got to get our head boy back to normal!" McGonagall said. "We've got to get them all back to normal!"  
  
Just then, two men ran in. They looked about the same age as Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. One had longish brown hair and looked a bit like he needed a full nights rest. The second had short black hair and bright blue eyes coupled with a roguish smile. "A pint sized Harry that I get to look after!" The black haired one said cheerfully.  
  
"Who are you?" Harry said.  
  
The black haired one slumped and whimpered. "Remus... he doesn't remember us...."  
  
The brown haired man knelt down next to Harry and smiled knowingly. "My name is Professor Lupin... that man over there is Professor Black...."  
  
"I'm Harry... Harry Potter..." Harry smiled at Professor Lupin.  
  
"We need to get these children into some clothes that actually fit them...." McGonagall said.   
  
"I think I found a few spare uniforms somewhere around here..." said Professor Snape. "I'll go get them..."  
  
"Give them the regular first year uniform... you know... the non-colored ones..." said McGonagall. Professor Snape nodded and bowed himself out in a swirl of black robes.  
  
"Where are we going to put them?" said Hermione.  
  
"I guess we can watch them until classes begin again on Monday...." said Ron.  
  
"That's a good idea... watch them until Monday and then... uh..." McGonagall scratched her head uncertainly. "We'll figure that out later..."  
  
Harry was suddenly aware of someone holding his hand. He glanced up and saw Astra smiling down at him. She was taller than him. "Don't worry.. Come with me!"  
  
"Okay..." Harry said and they walked out with everyone else.  
  
After they were dressed in school uniforms, Harry sat with Ginny on the couch in the common room. Astra was sitting on the chair cross legged with a book in her lap. The brunette was sitting on the arm of the chair and laughing at the pages in the book with Astra.  
  
Avalon was over in a corner with Kennedy. He was playing chess with her. Harry noticed that she too had large elf ears, but they were single pierced ears.   
  
Draco was sulking in front of the fire, every now and then glance at Astra with an indecipherable expression. He looked as though he were having an internal conflict. He suddenly caught Harry watching him and glared at him coldly. "What are you looking at, Potter..."  
  
"A soap opera..." Harry said serenely.  
  
"Hmph! I'm surprised that the Weasel there does find some way to worm her way into the great Harry Potter's circle of friends!" Draco growled.  
  
"Why don't you get off of his back? What's yer deal, anyway!" growled Astra. She had stopped laughing at the book and the brunette was glaring at Draco now.  
  
Draco slipped off of the chair he was on and walked over to Astra, who had stood up now. She was slightly taller than him as well. "You can't be a first year... you're too old!" Draco said.  
  
"I am... I'm twelve..." she said.  
  
"Like I said... you're too old to be a first year... what happened... did you get held back?" Draco sneered at her.  
  
She growled at him. "At my school we start first year when we are twelve, got it, shrimp?"  
  
"As if that is an excuse!" Draco sneered.   
  
"As if there's an excuse for your height, squirt?" she said with a smile. Draco flushed.  
  
"Well at least I'm not some lumbering giant pretending to be a witch so she can go to school with NORMAL children!" he growled at her.  
  
"Prawn!"  
  
"Mudblood!"  
  
"Prat!"  
  
"Bitch!"  
  
Harry felt Ginny hide behind him. "He's scary..." she mumbled softly.  
  
Harry put an arm around her. "Don't worry... the mean, scary idiot won't hurt you..." She smiled up at him gratefully and hugged him around his waist. It felt somewhat uncomfortable, but Harry didn't really mind. He mussed up her flaming hair and smiled.  
  
"I won't let him hurt you either, Harry..." she said with a cheerful smile.  
  
"Aw... isn't it cute... Like I said earlier..." Draco drawled.  
  
"Would you hush up?! Good God! What kind of insensitive prat are you!" Astra growled. Harry noticed that the brunette was giggling at them.  
  
"EVERYONE HUSH!" growled Hermione from across the room. Ron was cowering from her.  
  
"You're scary, you know that?" he said sheepishly.  
  
"Now... the rules are that you do not go outside of Gryffindor Tower. You do not cause any trouble and you will behave yourselves at all times." Hermione stated.  
  
"What about classes!" Harry said as he raised his hand.  
  
"You won't have them... not until we get this mess sorted out and you all are turned back into your normal selves." Hermione said with authority.  
  
"Alright with me... you Nev?" Astra said to the brunette. The brunette named Nev smiled and nodded.  
  
"Sounds all right...." said Harry. "That's all we have to do?"  
  
"People come in and out of Gryffindor all the time, so they'll make sure you aren't up to any trouble in between classes." Hermione said.  
  
"Fine by me..." said Nev.  
  
"Do I have to stay here?" Draco drawled.  
  
"Yes... you do... now... It's nearly time for bed, so come up everyone..." Ron said. "We've split you up so that you three..." Ron pointed to Harry, Draco and Ginny. "Will be sleeping in the boys dorm with me...."  
  
"What? I can't do that! It's a boys area! Not girls!" Ginny squeaked as she blushed to the roots of her hair.  
  
"I'll go..." said Astra. Ron stared at her. "Feh... I've done it numerous times with my cousins back home.... I can do it..." she said.  
  
"And the other three will sleep in the girls dorm with Hermione." Ron said. "Alright... you three come up with me..."  
  
Harry followed him up the stairs to the boys dorm that he recognized. It said Seventh Year on the door, but it was the dorm he was used to seeing. He saw his bed with a familiar cage next to it and his trunk at the foot of the bed.  
  
"I have to sleep in here with the Gryffindors? Great..." said Draco.  
  
"Hush up, you.... Ya ain't gonna get any better accommodations, so be nice!" Astra scolded him.  
  
Astra got a spare bed all to herself. Draco slept in Harry's bed reluctantly, but Ron set him straight to it. Ron then apologized to Harry for doing it. "I'm sorry, Harry... but... I wouldn't be proper if he slept in her bed...."  
  
"I understand..." Harry said. He yawned and took off his glasses. Draco smoothed his hair and laid down under the covers. Then, Harry fell asleep. 


	17. Getting to Know You

A/N: Okay... I can just imagine all of this happening. Harry was so adorable as a little first year, and Astra was adorable as well, but she also kicks major ass when it comes to Draco. It's that no tolerance thing... I was hyper active as a child, hell I am still, but I was also like Harry being more of the observing type until one of my friends was being hurt. Then, I go straight to work.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Seventeen  
  
  
  
  
Harry woke up the next morning. He looked around him as he put on his glasses. He saw Ron's bed next to his and smiled. He had not been dreaming after all. Everything was as he remembered it.  
  
He crawled out of bed and walked over to Ron's. Harry thought he saw something strange. He saw Ron was older than a first year. He looked about seventeen. Harry slapped his forehead. IT had not been a dream.  
  
He slumped against Ron's bed to the floor. "What is going on here..." he groaned as he rubbed his forehead.  
  
The door opened and Harry saw a small girl with bright brown eyes peer through the crack. She wore a pajama shirt and large socks that didn't fit her. She walked in and Harry saw that her long red hair was pulled into two braids. It was Ginny, Ron's little sister.  
  
She bit her lip as she entered and walked across the floor toward Harry. He guessed that she didn't realize that he was there. She reached the foot of Ron's bed and crawled up onto it.   
  
Harry looked up as he heard a small gasp. "Hi..." he said with a smile.  
  
"Um... I'm sorry.... I didn't mean to intrude..." Ginny said as she bit her lip in a worried manner.  
  
Harry got to his knees and turned around so he could talk to her. She blushed crimson as she fussed with the buttons on the over sized pajama shirt. "M-M-Miss Granger lent me this....." she stammered without looking at Harry.  
  
"What about those socks you're wearing.... they look too big for you to be yours." Harry said as he pointed to her small feet.  
  
"Th-th-they're Ron's... They're really comfortable and warm.... I like to steal his socks sometimes...." she said as she went a brighter shade of red. She continued to fuss with her buttons. "I-I'm sorry if I'm bothering you, H-Harry...." she said softly.  
  
"You aren't.... I was just now wondering if I was in a dream..." Harry said. He sniggered as she went a deeper shade of crimson. "That's not what I meant..." he said quickly. "I woke up thinking that I would see Ron and he would be eleven...."  
  
"Oh..." she said softly, barely above a whisper. Harry felt something inside him like remembrance. He felt he actually knew her. Not as Ron's little sister, but something else. He smiled at Ginny and she made a squeak when she looked up at him.  
  
"I feel like I know you...." Harry blurted out. He suddenly realized how weird he sounded. "Er...."  
  
"That's okay.... I feel like I know you as well... like maybe we've done something similar to this before...." she said with a smile.  
  
Astra woke up as she heard someone giggling. She was wearing a borrowed pajama shirt from Ron. She rubbed her eyes and yawned. She reached for her glasses and put them on. He looked down beside her bed and screamed. There was someone grinning madly at her. "What the HELL!" she screamed.  
  
The person came out of the shadows and she grumbled. It was the pale kid named Draco. "Aw... is the ickle mudblood halvsie afwaid?" he smirked at her.  
  
She grabbed the nearest thing to her and threw it at his head. He fell down from the force of the book. "Oh my God... are you alright?" she said as she leaned over the edge of the bed to peer down at him.  
  
Her long silver hair fell down and hit the floor. His head was bleeding. Her hair surrounded his head. His grey eyes fluttered open and she leaned forward a little more. She touched his forehead with her fingers as he stared up at her. "Are you alright?" she said again.   
  
He blushed furiously and slipped out from under her hair. She was surprised at him. "I asked if you were alright!" she huffed indignantly.  
  
"I'm fine, no thanks to you! I'll tell my father about this!" Draco growled at her.  
  
Astra was suddenly aware of part of her shirt falling off one of her shoulders. She reached to pulled it up when the pale boy stood up and stopped her hand. She stared at him. "What the hell are you doin', ya little perv!" she growled.  
  
"I know these marks...." he said suddenly. He sat on her bed and turned her to face him. He slipped the shirt a little further down and brushed her hair off of her shoulder. She couldn't see what he was looking at.  
  
"What marks are you looking at, pal..." she growled again. She felt the heat rise in her cheeks.  
  
He touched her collar bone and she felt a cool finger trace two lines that went across her skin. "Those marks are from my father's cane... he must have done it to you..." Draco said. He gazed up at Astra and she felt her cheeks grow warmer.  
  
She gulped. "I-I don't know your father..." she stammered.  
  
He released her shoulders and she pulled the shirt back up onto the exposed shoulder. He poked her waist and pain shot though her. "Urrrg..." she said as she doubled over in pain.  
  
"Interesting... how did I know to do that..." he said mildly.  
  
When the pain subsided, Astra huffed as she sat up. She lifted the area of shirt that he had poked her through. There was a large, ugly bruise there on her waist in the shape of a large, human hand. "What the--!!"  
  
Astra caught Draco making a move with his hand toward her waist and she slapped it away. "Mind yerself!" she growled.  
  
Harry watched the scene with Ginny and sniggered. "I think he likes her...." Ginny said to him as she giggled.  
  
"Me too...." Harry said.  
  
"Shut it! I do not like her!" Draco growled as he rubbed his hand. "She bloody evil!"  
  
Astra growled at Draco. "Thanks for that compliment, Draco...." She punched him on his jaw. He fell to the ground in a clump.  
  
When they all got dressed, Harry walked with Ginny down to the common room. It seemed that everyone had already left for breakfast. "Well... if we're supposed to stay here, how're we supposed to eat!" said a voice from behind Harry. He turned and saw the brunette named Nev.  
  
"Good question, Nev... what ARE we supposed to do...." Astra said. A loud grumbling sound came from her stomach. "Eh-heh... sorry about that..." she said sheepishly.  
  
"What day is today..." said the black eyed girl. She yawned and rubbed her eyes.   
  
"Monday, Vee..." Nev said with a confirming nod.  
  
Vee nodded solemnly and turned wearily to the top of the stairs. "What's wrong, Vee?" said Harry.  
  
She turned back quickly and stared at him with those black eyes of hers. "Nothing...."  
  
Just then, Harry heard something come into the common room. "Dobby will do whatever Harry Potter asks!" Harry heard a squeaky, yet cheerful voice.  
  
Harry walked into the common room and saw a table set up. There were numerous little creatures running around putting food on the table. "Harry Potter and his friends are welcome to eat now..." The one called Dobby said.  
  
Harry shrugged at the others and sat down. Ginny sat down next to him on his right, Astra sat on his left. Nev sat across from Harry, Draco sat down in front of Astra and Vee sat down across from Ginny.  
  
They ate happily. "This is great! I like this food...." said Astra through a mouthful of eggs.  
  
"Yeah... it's better'n the rock rolls and the water eggs...." Nev said gleefully.  
  
"Huh? Water eggs.... rock rolls?" Harry asked.  
  
"Water eggs are what we call the extremely runny eggs they like to serve us in the eating hall at Firestrom....." Nev explained.  
  
"You need to use a spoon when eating them...." Astra stated.  
  
"Rock rolls are... well..." Nev started. Astra made a motion of dropping something rather heavy onto the table with her hand and made a sound like something crashing through the table. "Just like that... you could kill people with them..."  
  
"Oo-oo! What about the fried steak!" Nev started.  
  
"Throwing disks.... You could cut off someone's head with those..." Astra finished.  
  
"And the pizza...."  
  
"Poisoned.... never touch that stuff..." Astra finished as she ate a muffin.  
  
"I do enjoy this poisoned food talk, but I would really like to eat breakfast without hearing you blither away...." Draco drawled in an irritated fashion.  
  
"It's better than listening to you complain the entire time..." Astra growled as she stabbed a sausage with her fork.  
  
"It think it's dead, halvsie... you don't need to butcher it anymore.." Draco drawled again.  
  
She pointed her knife at Draco. "Now listen, you... I'm tired of listening to you talk... shut up before I decide to take your heart out with a spoon!" She growled at Draco.  
  
"So testy... I'm surprised that you don't qualify as an animal with the ministry...." Draco said with a smile. Astra's face didn't even twitch. She stared at him with a steel like gaze. Suddenly, she took her fork and stabbed Draco's hand. He jerked back, no blood was visible. "Ow! That bleeding hurt!"  
  
"Yep... he's human...." Astra said with a cruel smile. "Now I'll have to use Chlorox to sanitize this fork...."  
  
"Why you...." Draco jumped up and growled Angrily at Astra. "You did that on purpose!"  
  
Astra stood up and smiled. "Very good, Draco... You get a gold star...."  
  
"I'll show you a gold star!" Draco leaped over the table and pounced on Astra. They rolled together on the floor. Astra felt him punching her on her arms as she blocked him.  
  
She was bigger than him, but she felt like she couldn't really hurt him. For some reason she felt like he could crush her if he so chose. She started losing her blocking ability. He wasn't aiming for her face anymore, though. He was aiming for her stomach.  
  
She rolled him over and punched him on the jaw. He put a hand on her face and forced her away. He rolled her over and he straddled her on her stomach, his hand still forcing her head down on the ground. She felt her raised hand touch skin. She scratched her nails across the skin and he yelped in pain. She then threw him off of her.  
  
"That is ENOUGH!"   
  
Astra sat up and looked to the shriek of anger. She could taste blood in her mouth and her hair was tossed around her head. She had blood on her nails. She saw what damage she did. Draco's left cheek was bleeding from a few scratches.  
  
Hermione knelt down next to Draco and took out her wand. She started mending his scratches immediately. Astra stuck a finger in her mouth. She had forgotten about the blood on it. It tasted salty, metallic.  
  
"Can someone PLEASE tell me what was going on here?" said Hermione.  
  
"Draco started a fight with Astra..." said Harry.  
  
"Is this true?" she said to the others. They all nodded in agreement. "Twenty points will be taken from Slytherin for fighting!" she growled at Draco. Draco rolled his eyes at her.  
  
"Now I want you all to behave yourselves and NO MORE FIGHTING!" Hermione growled as she stood up. Draco's face was all healed now, no scratch was visible. Hermione then stalked through the common room door and out of the portrait hole.   
  
Astra stood up and brushed off her skirt. Draco stood up and glared at Astra. There was the undecipherable expression again. He flushed suddenly and then turned on his heel to go up the boy's staircase.  
  
"That was fun... a catfight for breakfast entertainment!" Nev said cheerfully. Then, she leaned over to Harry and smirked. "Lovers' quarrel.. You know..." she said with a wink. Harry stared at her incredulously.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me...! He likes her...!" Nev said. Vee rolled her eyes as she finished her meal.  
  
"How can you tell! He just tried to kill her!" Harry said.  
  
"Nevermind... you will figure it out eventually..." Then, Nev stood up and walked up the girls' staircase. Vee followed her.  
  
"What do you make of that, Ginny?" Harry said to the little red haired girl.  
  
She bit her bottom lip. Harry thought she looked rather adorable like that. Then, he slapped himself for thinking that. Ginny stared at him a little worried. "Are you alright?"  
  
"Yeah... I'm fine... I think I need to go upstairs now..." Harry said quickly. He then, ran up the boys' staircase. When he reached his dorm room, he saw Draco sitting on Harry's bed staring out the window. "Sulking again?" Harry smirked.  
  
"I am out numbered, therefore I will not acknowledge you...." Draco mumbled.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Like I said...."   
  
Harry didn't know quite how to take this. He went into his trunk and searched around. He saw an old piece of parchment inside. He found his invisibility cloak beside it. He saw that a couple of his socks were missing as well. He guessed who might have taken them. He found a broom cleaning kit. He found a strange ring with two lions holding a brilliant red stone. He tried to put it on, but his fingers were all to small. He put the ring back in it's place and closed the trunk.  
  
Astra came in and laid across her bed on her stomach, her feet were rocking back and forth in the air. "I am sooo bored...." she said. "It's going to be a long day..."  
  
"You could say that again...." said Harry as he stood up and sat on her bed. Then, he laid down next to her on his back. He put his hands behind his head and sighed.  
  
"If you two love birds would like a room together, please do tell me, I don't think I would want to witness that..." said Draco in his usual drawling voice.  
  
"Love birds!" growled Astra. She was blushing almost as much as Harry.  
  
"What the blazes are you talking about, Draco... I'm just laying down... AWAY from YOU!" Harry growled he sat up and turned to face Draco.  
  
There was a sudden smile that sprang across Astra's face. Draco paled. Then, she turned to Harry and pressed her lips to his. If he wasn't blushing furiously before, he certainly was now. He just sat there, leaning on his hands, as she held his face to hers. He didn't exactly know what to do. He closed his eyes as tightly as he could.  
  
Then, he felt her lips come away from his. He felt her hands leave his face. He didn't dare open his eyes. Then, she spoke. "You are very sweet.... did you know that?" she said softly to him. His eyes snapped open. His body trembled involuntarily.  
  
"This makes me sick! I'm getting out of here before I have to witness anymore!" Draco growled as he jumped off of Harry's bed and stalked out of the room.  
  
Harry still trembled as he sat stiffly on Astra's bed. His mind was racing. He couldn't remember what was up or down anymore. His heart pounded furiously. "You know.. You look an awful lot like a statue...." Astra said with a smile. Harry relaxed some.  
  
"Why did you do that!" Harry stammered.  
  
"Felt like it..." she said with a cheerful smile. "Call it an experiment...." 


	18. Feeling Your Way

A/N: Okay all of youse who have been breathing down my neck about Astra flirting with Harry all the blessed time. To tell you the truth... I do this on a daily basis with my guyfriends... They don't mind, I don't particularly care. I loved it when my friends would keep saying that I was taking lessons from our good friend Karen. She always wore shirts that were way too low and the like. She has a bigger chest than I could ever dream of having.   
  
Anyway.. Like I said... If I had the opportunity, I would be acting just like Astra. I'd wrap my arms around his neck while he's sitting down and rest my head on top of his and squeal, "Yer too cute!" That's just the way I am with my guyfriends. This is compared to how I am with guys that I "like". I get really self conscious and blushy and all that. Unless they're like Draco, and of course I'm mean to those guys.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Eighteen  
  
  
  
  
After breakfast of the next day, Harry opened his trunk again. He searched through and found his invisibility cloak there with the old piece of parchment wrapped up inside it. He stared at it. "What am I supposed to do with you..." He said out loud.  
  
"Probably write on it..." said Astra's voice from the doorway. "It is parchment, isn't it?" she said with a smile. "Sorry about yesterday, man..."  
  
Harry gulped as she sat down next to him. "N-no problem...." he squeaked.  
  
She blushed and looked away from him. "Um... you might ask the charms and spellwork geek about how to use that thing..." Astra said as she pointed to the parchment.  
  
"It's just old parchment...." Harry said.  
  
"Not from what I can feel from it..." she said with a smile.  
  
Harry was confused. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Harry.... don't you use your feelings when you do magic? Can't you just feel when something is magic or not right?" Astra said. Her eyes staring in his sea of green.   
  
"I never thought about it before...." He said. He started thinking about all the times he did magic. "I don't think I've ever done that before in class...."  
  
"It's not something that the teachers can teach you, Harry... It's something you feel. You just feel that something is the right spell. You feel the magic flowing through this parchment. You feel that someone is good. It doesn't matter if they generally look like the cruelest human being around, you just feel that they have something about them. That kind of thing."  
  
Harry stared at the parchment. "Don't try to concentrate on it.... just feel... go on." He heard her intone on his thoughts.   
  
He tried to relax himself. He thought about flying, how it relaxed him when the wind flowed around him on his Nimbus Two-Thousand. Then, he felt something. He saw little sprinkles of light flowing around in the parchment like veins in a human body. "I see it!"  
  
"See? I told ya!" she beamed.  
  
"So what spellwork geek were you talking about?" Harry said.  
  
Astra stood up and motioned for him to as well. "Nevaeh..." Astra said.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"The short girl with the brown hair... Nev!" Astra said in an exasperated tone.  
  
"That's her name? How odd. What does it mean? What language is it?" Harry asked her.  
  
"It's English...."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"It's heaven spelled backwards..." She said. "Now come on... If anyone can figure it out, It's Nev..." She pulled on Harry's arm and led him to the girls' dorm rooms. She led him into the one marked Seventh Years and dragged him in. "Hey charms queen! We've got a puzzle for you!"  
  
Nev looked up and smiled. "Really now... what do you have?" She took out her wand as Astra brought Harry over.  
  
"I can't figure out how to work this..." Harry said.  
  
"Well... why not just ask it?" Nev said with a satisfied smile.  
  
"She's great in charms, but everywhere else, she's a ditz... Nev, stop with the cutesy act..." Astra pleaded.  
  
"As if yer any good with a wand, Astra..." Nev glared at Astra for a brief moment and sighed. "Let me see it..."  
  
Harry handed her the page and she tapped her wand on it. "Well.. It's deffinantly magic.... but... oh well, might as well..." She tapped it again. "This is Nevaeh Ives... I would like to see if this page is intelligent."  
  
There were a few spidery lines that spread across the page. It turned into handwriting.  
  
------------  
Welcome, Miss Ives. Mr. Prongs welcomes you!  
------------  
  
Harry stared at it. He didn't know what to think. It was speaking to her. Nev went on. "Cute! I like this... Who are you Mr. Prongs? Someone who went to Hogwarts?"  
  
----------------  
Amongst other things, Mr. Prongs is a creator of this map....  
----------------  
  
"What? It's a map! Map of what?" Harry said.  
  
--------------  
Mr. Padfoot would like to bid good day to the ladies and gives them all a nice kiss for hello!  
--------------  
  
"Uh...." said Astra. "This thing has more than one personality inside of it. That's kinda creepy... how did it know there were two of us here..."  
  
"Yeah... really creepy... Padfoot sounds like a name you would give an animal, though...." Nev said. "Like my pet dog at home."  
  
"Yeah... pads on the feet....." Astra said.  
  
----------  
Mr. Moony wishes you all a fair day and punches Mr. Padfoot for kissing the girls without their permission.  
  
Mr. Padfoot would like to beg his forgiveness from the two ladies present and kicks Mr. Moony because he's a right git.  
-----------  
  
"Thems fightin' words...." Astra said with a smile. "This is ridiculous. We're only twelve, but already a schizo map is fighting over us...."  
  
"I didn't need that, Astra..." Harry said. "That's just one too many things to go through my head."  
  
"Sirs... how do we work the map?" Nev asked politely.  
  
----------  
Mr. Prongs and Mr. Wormtail say that the way to activate the map is to say "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good...."  
---------  
  
"That sounds reasonable enough." Nev said as she tapped her wand onto the map. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."  
  
The writing on the parchment swirled around until it made a picture of the castle. Harry saw numerous names and dots moving around the map. At the top was, 'Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs present: the Marauder's Map'.  
  
"Wow... I wonder who these guys are...." Astra said.  
  
"This is powerful stuff... whoever they are or were, they're smart!" said Nev admirably.  
  
Harry looked around the map as saw a dot that said 'Hermione Granger' moving around the hallways. He saw another dot labeled 'Ron Weasley' in transfiguration. "I wonder... what it's like out there..." Astra said.   
  
"Maybe we should use this map to our advantage..." Nev said with a mischievous smile. Harry stared at her. "What...?! It'd be fun! Let's bring along Ginny! She'll have loads of fun!"  
  
"Vee'll want to stay behind.... she doesn't like to come with us normally." Astra explained to Harry.  
  
"Vee never likes to do anything with anyone." Nev said in a disappointed tone. "I can't believe she's your sister." Nev suddenly took a lock of Astra's hair. "Hold on a minute! When did you dye your hair?! It's not blonde like it usually is..."  
  
"I didn't dye my hair! Ow!" Astra yanked her hair away from Nev. "My guess is that I have this coloration when I'm seventeen, or whatever age I am and it just carried over...."  
  
"Let's see... We can look around the school with Draco... He'll be loads of fun to torture..." said Nev with a devious grin.  
  
"Draco? He's going to get us into trouble is what he's going to do..." Harry said. "You don't know this boy... he tried to get me, Hermione and Ron into trouble one night when we went to see Hagrid about the sorcerer's stone."   
  
Something struck Harry. "Hagrid! We could go see Hagrid! He's really nice!" Harry said excitedly. "You have to meet Hagrid.. He's the caretaker of the grounds... Aside from Mr. Filch... that man you have to watch out for..."  
  
Harry looked on the map and found Mr. Filch and Mrs Norris in his office. "Good... that means we can get outside without anyone seeing us..." Harry tapped his wand to the map. "Mischief managed..." The map went blank suddenly. "Okay... let's get going... I have an invisibility cloak, but if you want to bring Draco along, that wouldn't be a good idea."  
  
"Invisibility cloak? I think it could work out..." Astra said. "I mean the only tall person here is me, so I could hold it up for you shorties..." she said with a grin.  
  
"I'm growing!" Harry said indignantly.  
  
"Don't worry... she does that all the time...." Nev said in an exasperated tone.  
  
"Ginny! Do you want to come see Hagrid?" Harry asked the little red haired girl sitting on Hermione's bed.  
  
"That man that Ron always writes home about? Sure!" she beamed.  
  
They all went to the boys' dormitories and found Draco on Harry's bed, reading. He looked up and narrowed his eyes at Harry. "What do you want Potter..."  
  
"On second thought... we can do without him.." said Astra with a sneer.  
  
Harry went to his trunk and slipped the invisibility cloak under his robes. "What are you doing..." Draco said as Harry stood up.   
  
"Nothing... We're going downstairs to the common room to play a game. Have a nice time!" Nev said with a smile.  
  
Harry led the three girls out of the boys' staircase and into the common room. Then, he slipped the cloak over everyone. "Let's go..." Harry said as he pressed a finger to his lips for silence.  
  
They walked through the portrait hole and walked down the corridor. Harry heard Professor McGonagall teaching class in the transfiguration classroom. They walked further down and passed the defense against the dark arts classroom. Professor Quirrel wasn't inside. Instead, Harry saw Professor Black teaching with that roguish smile he had.  
  
They walked out of the castle and onto the grounds. They walked toward Hagrid's hut. Harry must have confused himself, because he heard Professor Lupin giving a class from a tree. "Woops! Don't want to alert him!" Astra whispered.  
  
"Here we go... I can see his hut over there!" Harry said. They walked closer and Harry began to get a bad feeling.   
  
The glass in the windows were broken. He wondered if Norbert had done that. "It doesn't look very inviting...." Ginny said in a worried tone.  
  
"It's probably nothing... Hagrid has a dragon, you see.... named Norbert... let's go...." Harry said.  
  
They walked closer and Harry saw nothing resembling life emanating from the old shack. He knocked on the door and heard nothing. He knocked again. Again... nothing.  
  
"This place is oozing with sadness...." Astra said. "You can feel it...."  
  
Harry opened the door. It was unlocked. Harry walked everyone inside and threw off the cloak. The hut was empty. "Did he... did he move away?" asked Ginny.  
  
Something hit Harry like a lightning strike. His scar hurt worse than he had ever felt it. Then, just as it had came, it went away. "Harry! Are you alright?" Astra asked.  
  
"Yeah... I'm fine... my scar just hurt for a moment..." Harry said as he put a hand up to his scar. It burned to his touch. "Does anyone else feel like this place is dead?" Harry asked.  
  
"Like I said... It's oozing with sadness..... Something happened near here, or to the person this place belonged to and it's sad...." Astra said.  
  
Harry felt tears coming to his eyes. The thought had hit him when his scar hurt. He had felt like someone had died. Like Hagrid had died. "No... is he dead?" said Ginny as she clung onto Harry.  
  
"Something did... that's for sure...." Nev said. She sniffed slightly. "I can smell death in the air."  
  
"There's a comforting thought..." said Astra. "But she's right... If this is the place of your Hagrid... then, he's no longer here... He is either living somewhere else and this house is emanating the sadness for his being gone, or he is dead and this entire place reeks of it."  
  
"No... That can't happen! Where's fang! Fang should be here...." Harry said. He walked around the hut. He found blood on the floor where an animal had been cut open. He found blood on the walls as well. Another flash shot through him. "No... Fang can't be as well...." he whispered.  
  
"Well look at this... The Famous Potter and his little friends milling about in a run down shack...." Draco's familiar drawl came from the doorway. "I bet it's familiar to Miss Weasley there...."  
  
Harry spun around and glared at him angrily. "What are you doing here, Draco...."  
  
"The question is, what are you all doing here...." Draco said with an evil grin.  
  
"We weren't doing anything that is of your business, Draco..." Harry growled.  
  
"I'm sure...." Draco said.  
  
Suddenly, there was a loud clang. Harry jumped as did Draco. Harry turned to the sound. One of the pans on the dilapidated wall fell onto the floor. "Where's your precious Hagrid now?"  
  
"What are you children doing here!" Professor Lupin's voice sounded from just outside the doorway. Harry saw Professor Lupin walk into the old cabin. "You should be in Gryffindor tower right now... come on all of you... I'm taking you back before Miss Granger and Professor McGonagall have my head set onto a platter."  
  
Harry quickly stuffed the invisibility cloak into his cloak and walked with Professor Lupin as he hurried them all into Gryffindor Tower. He turned to them when they reached the common room. "Now I want you all to stay here, please! I don't want to have to deal with Professor McGonagall with the double threat of Miss Granger...." Then, he left through the portrait hole.  
  
Draco walked over to the couch in front of the fireplace and sat down. "This is boring...." He said as he sulked.  
  
Harry sat down on a sofa next to the couch. Astra sat next to him and gave him a cheerful smile. Harry saw that indecipherable expression on Draco's face. Astra gave Draco a sly smile and put he arms around Harry's neck. Harry did his best to lean away from her.  
  
Draco sneered at Harry and stood up. He walked over to Ginny who was sitting on a chair and bent forward. He took her chin and pulled her upwards, pressing his lips to hers in a kiss.   
  
Harry felt a sort of anger he had never felt before. He wanted to pulverize Draco, but he just sat and watched as Draco straightened and gave Harry a satisfied smile. Then, he turned to Ginny, who was in a dream like haze, and smiled.   
  
"You aren't the only one who can play that game, you know..." he said to Harry. Then, he went up the staircase. 


	19. Being a Teenager

A/N: Okay... If you want to see a completely freaky and trippy movie, go see The Ring. That thing about as trippy as you can get without being on actual acid. There's this tape that if you watch it, you die within a week. There's this freaky little girl in it that comes out of a well and comes THROUGH the TV and kills you by looking at you. I tell you what... I don't care if she's some kind of tripped out ghost or not, she comes through the TV, I'm gonna be ready with a kendo stick and baseball bat to roll that little head of hers.   
  
::smirls:: now you see where Astra gets one of her many quirks.... ^.^; me am violent.....  
  
Poll time! List your top five to top ten fav characters from my series in a review because, damn it!, I want more reviews!  
  
  
By the way... please forgive me the many things I'm doing rather weirdly in this part of the story. I have a tendency to forget that I have them in eleven year old bodies and minds.  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Nineteen  
  
  
  
  
The next day, Hermione had a close watch put on Harry and everyone. No one could go anywhere without there being someone there to watch them. It was starting to get on Harry's nerves.  
  
At the moment, Seamus Finnegan was watching them as he practiced some transfiguration homework. Seamus, being named a walking apocalypse, was bad with a wand. Harry figured that it hadn't changed even though he was older now.  
  
Harry sat at the table with Seamus as he kept looking at a roll of parchment, then at the chair next to him. "What are you trying to do, Seamus?" Harry asked.  
  
"Trying to turn this chair into a girl.... at least I'll get a date out of it if I succeed...." Seamus said with a smirk. "It's really weird... seeing you as head boy, then you are eleven again...."  
  
"I was head boy?"  
  
"Yes you were.... oh dear..." Seamus said as he stared at the place where the chair had been. "Is she supposed to have a lion tattoo?" There was a girl in front of him with the same pattern on her skin as the fabric of the chair. "Better find a way to change her back....."  
  
"Am I any good?"  
  
"Huh?"   
  
"Am I any good as a prefect..." Harry said.  
  
"Yes you are... you aren't as good as Hermione, though. That woman can keep the whole of Hogwarts all nice and neat if she so chose..." Seamus said. "Damn it!"  
  
"What?" Harry stared at what was supposed to be a chair.  
  
"I don't think the chair is supposed to still be winking at me...."  
  
"I don't suppose so..." The chair was a chair with eyes, winking at Seamus coquettishly. Seamus started holding his wand tightly with both hands, growling in frustration. "Seamus... Seamus, I don't think you are supposed to do that.... Seamus..."  
  
BLAM! The chair went up in a puff of smoke and flames. Seamus' hair was that of someone who had just tried to french kiss a light socket. His eyebrows were still intact, though.  
  
"I don't think you were supposed to do that either, Seamus..." Harry said as he came up from under the table. "You probably ought to go see Madame Pomfrey about that..."  
  
Seamus coughed and put out the small flame that was on a tuft of his hair with his fingers. "I think I will go do that... watch everyone and make sure nothing goes wrong... I'd hate to have Professor McGonagall on my ass about leaving you and everyone on my watch."  
  
"Will do... just... be careful next time..." Harry said. Seamus stood up and walked out of the portrait hole.  
  
Astra stood up and stretched. "Phew! I thought he'd never leave!"  
  
Nev came out from behind the sofa that was next to the table Harry was sitting at. Astra clapped some applause. "Nice work, Nev!"  
  
"That was tough! I thought for sure I was going to screw it up! It's really a difficult spell to work..." Nev said as she brushed her skirt off. Harry stared at them both incredulously.  
  
"What are you talking about! Did you set Seamus on fire?!" Harry said.  
  
"Not really. Actually, I was trying to cause a spell confusion.... very difficult to do... I'm really surprised that I could do it..." Nev said. She wiped the sweat off of her brow. "Seamus set himself on fire, though... that had nothing to do with me..."  
  
"So what was the point of confusing his spell?" Ginny said from her chair. Her small frame was lost in the overstuffed chair. Her large innocent eyes stared curiously around at everyone. Her long red hair was put into pigtails.  
  
"Well... we were tired of having him here...." Nev said as if this was the most logical thing in the world.  
  
"Besides... I wanna know more about that hut and what happened there..." Astra said as she took off her slippers and put on a borrowed pair of black mary janes. "There's something about that place that I remember...."  
  
"I remember too, but I don't want to go back there..." said Harry. "Hagrid was my friend, and a very good one at that.... I don't want to remember him dying...."  
  
Astra stared at Harry for a long moment before letting out a sigh and taking off the mary janes. She slipped her slippers on and pulled her legs up to her chest. "Then, what can we do here while that Irish kid is away?"  
  
"Sit here and be bored as usual?" said Nev. Astra gave her a look and Nev shrugged. "Just a suggestion...."  
  
Vee came down the girls' staircase. She stared at Harry with those black eyes of hers boring into him. He felt like she was looking straight into his soul. It was slightly disturbing.  
  
"Hey, Leprechaun... What's up? Find any new things to spook us with?" Astra drawled.  
  
"Why do you enjoy calling me that everyday?" Vee said in a huff as she hit the bottom of the stairs.   
  
"Beside the factoid that yer shorter than me?" Astra said. Vee didn't look pleased. Vee rolled her black eyes and walked up the staircase. "Another point to me!" Astra said.  
  
"What were you talking about 'spooking' us..." Harry said.  
  
"Vee says that she sees me and Nev's futures.... that and she says she sees scary things everyday.... I don't know whether or not to believe her, really..." Astra said with a shrug.   
  
"Your mom said something about her looks though...." Nev corrected.  
  
"Huh? Oh..." Astra put a pillow over her face for a minute before talking. "She said that her black hair and black eyes are the mark of the prophetess or something like that...."  
  
"The prophetess?" Ginny inquired.  
  
"It's a legend in my mom's family. It's a rarity that it happens, but it said to coincide with a major event that a prophet is needed. Never in the family has there been a boy born with black hair and black eyes...."  
  
Harry stared up at the girls staircase. He wondered what Vee might see that she would say. Did she know how to get everyone back to normal, or did she know other things. "Maybe she can help us figure out how to get back to being whatever age we are supposed to be...." Harry said.  
  
"Her? I severely doubt she would tell us... she keeps mostly to herself...." Astra said as she pulled her legs over the arm of the chair and leaned back. "Hey! I got it! How about spin the bottle!"  
  
"Astra.... do you think? Who's gonna play?!" Nev growled.  
  
Harry was confused by the sudden change of subject. "What?"  
  
"We could all play... minus my dopey sister, of course..." Astra said with a grin.  
  
"Even that Draco kid?" Nev said with a grimace.  
  
"Come on... it's better than sitting here doing nothing!" Astra said as she straightened up in the chair. "Besides! We could just have the rules be.... a peck on the cheek! That's good enough!"  
  
Nev shook her head and sighed. Harry stared at them incredulously. "Would someone please tell me what's going on here?"  
  
"No one could fill in that completely clueless brain enough for you to fully grasp anything, Potter..." came a cold, familiar drawl.  
  
Draco was at the foot of the boys' staircase and grinning evilly at Harry. Draco walked over to Ginny and wrapped his arms around her shoulders possessively. He sneered at Harry as Ginny blushed to the roots of her hair. "Um... could you get off of me?" came Ginny's soft voice.  
  
"You head her Malfoy.... she doesn't want you to do that...." Harry said as he stifled a growl.   
  
"Aw... but I thought we were getting on so well...." Draco said. He smiled down at Ginny slyly.  
  
"P-please.... um... this is rather uncomfortable..." Ginny said in the extremely soft voice of hers.  
  
"Malformed... the girl don't like you... get off..." Astra said with a grimace.  
  
A flash of light came out of no where. Harry opened his eyes and he saw Draco still holding Ginny, but he was a second year. His clothes had changed as well. They were his uniform. Harry saw that his own body had changed. He too was a second year.  
  
"It looks like this is gonna end on it's own..." Harry heard Nev said.   
  
Draco tightened his grip on Ginny. "Draco... I'm going to give you to the count of three... if you don't get off of Ginny now... I'm going to---"  
  
"To do what, Potter? What is she to you?" Draco sneered at Harry.  
  
Harry blushed. Ginny was redder now than she was before. She gazed hopefully up at Harry. "She's Ron's sister and if you want him to come in here and pulverize you, then by all means keep on..."  
  
Draco narrowed his grey eyes at Harry. Then, he glanced at Astra. Ginny's hopeful expression went sad. Harry wondered briefly about that.  
  
Another flash of light and Harry found that he had grown a little taller. He was a third year now. His clothes had changed accordingly. Harry glanced over at Nev and Astra. Nev was still shorter than Astra, but her hips had grown. Astra's chest had grown some, but she still had hardly any indentation for a waist.  
  
Draco's expression went from one of contempt to that of the indecipherable expression he had when this started. He let go of Ginny and stood back. He crossed his arms in front of him and sulked.  
  
Ginny stood up and Harry saw that she was taller now. She blushed as Harry looked at her. "Thank you, Harry..." she said to the floor.  
  
Astra walked over to Harry and put an arm around his shoulders. "Hey... this is pretty cool, huh? We finally getting older now..."   
  
Draco leaned against a wall and glared at Harry. Astra let go of Harry and walked back to Nev and they started hopping up and down in glee. Vee came down the stairs. "What on Earth is going on?!"  
  
Vee looked that same age as Harry. She was still incredibly thin and small compared to her sister, who was very tall and rather strong looking. Nev's hips and shoulders became a little rounder.  
  
There was another flash of light and Harry felt himself grow a little taller. Memories of his fourth year came into his head. He was the second champion of Hogwarts for the triwizard tournament. He opened his eyes and saw Draco still in his secluded corner, sulking.  
  
"This is getting weird... Leon is dead...." Astra said. "Our friend Leon is dead..." she said to Nev.  
  
"I see it as well..." Nev said.  
  
Suddenly, Astra went sort of stiff. Her hands were in front of her and her skirt was billowing some in an unfelt breeze. Her hair flowed around her and her blue grey eyes were blank. A green stone on her left ear glowed brilliantly.   
  
Light surrounded everyone. Harry felt himself grow even more. His joints ached as his bones grew longer. The light blinded Harry.   
  
Memories flew into his brain. He was a fourth year and he saw Cedric Diggory die. He saw Voldemort come out of the cauldron, alive and able to do magic.   
  
He was a fifth year. He was a prefect. He just met Astra and Nevaeh. He met Donovan. He tried to battle Voldemort, but Hagrid died at the hands of Donovan. It was all a jumble.  
  
He was a sixth year. He was going out with Ginny. He loved Ginny. Miss Snape was making things horrendous for Astra and Nevaeh. He was thrown back in time with Astra. He met his father and mother when they were still in Hogwarts.  
  
He was now a seventh year. He was Head Boy and Hermione was Head Girl. Draco was in love with Astra. The Ranma potion turned Harry into a girl whenever he sneezed. The Raven's Eye melding with Astra's locket. People were dying.... Colin... Susan... Fred...  
  
Then, Harry hit the floor. He opened his eyes and saw Ginny trembling next to him. He crawled over to her and wrapped his arms around her. "Shhhh... it's over..." he whispered to her. He could hear her sobbing.   
  
"Hagrid died.... You-Know-Who tortured me with the Cruciatus curse... I nearly lost you a half dozen times to things unknown to me...." she sobbed. She turned around and held onto Harry tightly as she cried into his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Harry... I'm sooo sorry...."  
  
"It's okay... Shhhh..." Harry whispered to try to calm her.  
  
"Astra? Astra?"  
  
Harry heard Draco's voice moving. He glanced up and saw Draco lift Astra's upper body off of the floor. She was eighteen now. Draco cradled Astra and stroked a hand through her still very long hair.   
  
Astra's eyes fluttered open and she gazed up at Draco, who looked rather worried. She smiled. He was worried about her. He had been jealous of Harry when she paid him attention. He truly had feelings for her, even though he had an odd way going about it.  
  
"Hello...." she whispered. "Are you alright?"  
  
"I'm fine... I'm back to my gorgeous, manly self....." Draco smirked down at her. Then, he kissed her.  
  
Harry smiled. He gazed down at Ginny who had stopped trembling and crying. She looked up at Harry and sniffled. Then, she smiled. "You were jealous when he kissed me... did you know that?"  
  
Harry smirked at her and pinched her waist playfully. "I knew..." He said as she giggled.  
  
  
  
The next day, Harry walked up to Ginny with his surprise. Ginny was talking to a couple of girls in her year and giggling. Harry coughed nervously. They turned and the girls started giggling again. Harry grimaced at the other two girls. They coughed and walked away.  
  
"What's up, Harry?" Ginny beamed up at him.  
  
"I couldn't give you your valentine on valentine's day, but I am giving it to you now..." He said.  
  
She waited with a smile. Harry smiled back and took out his wand. "This is from my heart and a bit of a payback for one misery..." He bowed to her and winked. "Don't take offense..."  
  
"Uh...." was all the Ginny said as she stared at Harry, not quite sure what he was about to do.  
  
Harry coughed and took out the poem he had written. Then, he sang in the shrillest voice possible.  
  
Her eyes are like freshly made fudge,  
Her hair is able to not make me budge,  
She is so divine, I know she is mine,  
The girl of my heart's judge.  
  
Ginny's face was bright red as her two friends started giggling louder than ever. Harry beamed down at Ginny, grinning like a mad man. "I love you, Ginny..." he said with a wink.  
  
She shook her head and laughed. "You've got some nerve.... you know that?"  
  
"That's why you love me, my lady.." Harry took a bow again. He came back up and she slapped him on his shoulder. He took her arm and they walked to the great hall for lunch. 


	20. Conspiracy Theory

A/N: A wild ride right? Um.... okay maybe not! Um... Me have low self esteem... But it will get back up if I get more reviews! ::says please like Roger Rabbit:: (I like that movie)  
  
I gave the Malfoy Twins bushy hair.... It was just jumping off of the trend board. I didn't want them to look exactly like Astra. Some, but not exact. And no... they do not have Granger blood in them... that would make them kin to Harri and I don't want that.  
  
::pays homage to favorite GW character:: DUOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!  
  
Does anyone notice that Yugi (Yugi-oh!) Is supposed to be fourteen, looks like he's twelve, but sounds like he's twenty? I was just wondering...... ::breaks into "Big Girls Don't Cry, They Get Even" speech on the dad:: ("That's my dad.... he's forty, looks like he's thirty, talks like he's twenty and acts like he's ten.... he's fun to play board games with...")  
  
I have the original trailer for that movie on my Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secret of the Ooze. It goes by a different title, though... something like Family Reunion...  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Twenty  
  
  
  
  
Harry woke up to his scar burning. He pressed his hand to his scar, but he couldn't stop the burning. It was giving him a massive headache.  
  
When the burning finally subsided, Harry got out of bed. He was dreaming about the letters on the three victims' heads. He wondered briefly what they all meant.  
  
He walked down the boys' staircase and into the common room. He glanced out the window and saw the night sky. The moon was out and it was full. He wondered where Professor Lupin was, briefly.  
  
He yawned and rubbed his eyes behind his glasses. He walked over toward the fireplace and found Avalon on the couch. She was just staring at the fire. "Vee.... (yawn) what are you doing up...."  
  
She didn't say anything. She just sat and watched the fire. Her long black hair cascaded around her in waves. Her tanned skin shimmered in the firelight. Her black eyes shimmered with purpose.  
  
Harry closed his eyes and yawned again. He felt a sudden breeze. His eyes snapped open and he found himself outside.   
  
He was near the lake. He saw Hagrid's hut in the distance and he saw the Forbidden Forest. He heard the distant howl of a werewolf.   
  
"Where?" he started to say.   
  
Avalon was standing in front of him now. She was wearing a long, black, Gothic dress that fell over her small, thin frame. Her long, black hair swirled around her. Her black eyes bored into Harry's. "What's going on?"  
  
There was a brilliant flash of white light and Harry saw Astra, wearing long white robes. Her silvery hair swirled around her, much like Avalon's. She wore a bright, silver necklace that blinded Harry.  
  
"Do you want to live...." a distant voice said in Astra's tone.   
  
"Wha? What do you mean!"  
  
"Do you want to live...."  
  
Harry turned to Avalon. She just stared at him, those black, bottomless eyes bored into his soul. "Vee... what's going on?!"   
  
"The countdown has begun, Harry... The Omega Time is almost upon us...." she said. Then.... Harry woke up screaming.  
  
  
  
"I'm having difficulty trying to figure out these clues.... these random letters..." Hermione said at Breakfast. She was racking over a piece of parchment as she scratched out another equation. "It just doesn't make any sense!"  
  
Harry ate quietly. Ron was looking rather worried as was Ginny. "Ron... I don't think you are next.... or you Gin.... I would never let him hurt either of you..."  
  
"I wasn't worried about me, Harry... I'm more preoccupied about Hermione..." Ron said. "You remember what happened in second year... She was attacked. What if it happens again and she actually dies!"  
  
"Oh stop it, Ron... I'm not going to die...." Hermione growled impatiently as she poured over the parchment, scratching out another equation. "Honestly, how does he expect up to figure this out when these clues are complete nonsense?"   
  
"I don't think You-Know-Who was actually expecting you to try to figure it out... I think he is trying to scare Harry into a premature fight..." Ron said. He gulped down his eggs.  
  
"He isn't going to get me... Not with Dumbledore here..." Harry said. He glanced up at the teachers' table and saw Professor Dumbledore eating happily. "Voldemort wouldn't try anything while Dumbledore is in the area. All the killings have been in semi-secluded areas....."  
  
"True, but really.... he's testing the limits, isn't he?" said Ginny. "Each one has known you at some point.... Colin worshiped you, Susan was in a few of your classes, Fred was.... was...." Ginny's eyes began to tear up, but she choked them down. "Was your friend....."  
  
Harry put an arm around Ginny and pulled her close to him. He kissed the top of her head and sighed into her hair. "I'm sorry, Ginny..."  
  
"Can we please go onto a subject that isn't so morbid?" Nevaeh said loudly. "God sakes, It's still morning!"  
  
After breakfast, Harry walked Ginny to her next class. He passed Astra in the hallway as she walked with Draco to class. He smiled and waved at her when they passed eachother and did the same. "See ya in class!" she said cheerfully.  
  
He walked Ginny to Professor Binns' classroom and opened the door for her. "I'll see you at lunch, Gin... have a nice nap..."  
  
"I'll see you.." Then, she reached up on her toes and kissed Harry. He kissed her back and then released her.  
  
He walked toward Professor McGonagall's class. He met up with Ron and Hermione in the hallway. "Hey Ron... just walked Ginny to History..."  
  
"I wonder why they keep that bloke as a Professor when he's so boring that he makes the entire class fall asleep." Ron said.  
  
"I never fall asleep in his class...." Hermione said.  
  
"Liar... You drool in your sleep...." Ron said with a smirk. Hermione went pink in her cheeks.  
  
There was suddenly a shriek. Harry, Hermione and Ron ran toward the sound. Harry reached the destination first. He saw Hannah Abbott screeching at the wall in front of her and at Astra, who was holding her hands to her ears. "Could ya stop that! Geez!"  
  
"Oh my God! It's happening again! It's happening again!" Hannah screamed.  
  
Harry walked over to Astra and put a hand on her shoulder. He looked at the wall that Hannah was screaming at. On the wall, there was writing in blood. "The omega time is upon you all...." He read aloud.  
  
"It's happening again! Oh my God!" Hannah screeched. Ernie McMillen ran out of the transfiguration classroom and stared at Harry and Astra. "Ernie! It's happening all over again!"  
  
Professor McGonagall walked out and stared at the wall in horror. The color drained from her face. She finally regained her color a minute later and turned to everyone assembled. "Get inside now...!"  
  
"What's going on?" said a familiar drawl from behind Harry. He turned and saw Draco coming around the corner, looking quite perplexed. "Astra? What's going on?"  
  
"I was going on ahead to class and I ran into this wall.... Then, that Hufflepuff girl came out of nowhere and saw the wall and screamed like a maniac. That's all, I swear!" Astra said. Draco put an arm around Astra, as if he were about to lose her to something dreadful.   
  
"Get into the classroom, now!" came McGonagall's voice. Her hand showed up from the doorway and made a sharp motion to get inside.   
  
"I don't know what that girl's deal was, really... I sure as hell didn't do it... I ack!" Astra was talking and then she made a squirming motion. She lifted her right arm and looked at it. A small, sleek black head poked out from inside her sleeve. "Skywise... do you have to hide like that!" she growled. Hermione giggled.  
  
Astra shoved Skywise into her sleeve and sat down behind Harry. He smiled at her and glanced around nervously. A few of the Hufflepuffs stared at him. He felt much like he was in his second year again.  
  
"In class today, I want you to give eachother animal traits that suit each personality." Professor McGonagall said. "I'll keep watch to make sure you don't permanently damage anyone..." she said with a smile.  
  
Hermione looked nervous. She was sitting at the table next to Harry's with Nevaeh. Ron was sitting next to Harry and he gave Harry a wide smile.  
  
Harry tried to think of an animal that best suited Ron. Then, he had an interesting idea. He took out his wand and started. He gave Ron feathers and a beak. "Good... no you can fly with Pig...." Harry said with a smirk.  
  
"You've got to be joking... that's the best you can do....?" Ron squawked.   
  
Harry turned him back to Ron and glanced over at Astra. Draco had given Astra cat ears, whiskers and a long black tail. She purred at Draco as she smirked at him, her chin resting on her right hand. Her long tail swished languidly around. "Really, now... Is this your fantasy version of me, Draco?"  
  
"If I said yes, would you kick my ass?" Draco said with a seductive smile.  
  
"Maybe... I kinda like looking like a kitty...." she purred. She took out her wand and swished it around. Draco grew goat horns. "There now... that's perfect..." she said cheerfully.  
  
She raised a small compact to show Draco what he looked like and he grinned evilly at her. "So you are calling me the devil? How ironic of you...."  
  
"Actually I was going for goat, but devil-boy works as well..." Astra purred at him.  
  
"Baaa..." Draco sniggered.  
  
Harry felt something grow out of his head. He ran a hand through his hair and came up with long rabbit ears. One flopped over. He grimaced at Ron, who was laughing hysterically. "I am not a rabbit...."  
  
"You are now...!" Ron gasped. After a while, Ron finally turned Harry back.  
  
At lunch, Harry walked down the hallway to Professor Binns' classroom to pick up Ginny. He started to round the corner when he heard some familiar voices.  
  
"You told me that she was there staring at the wall when you got there?" said Ernie's voice.  
  
"Yes... she was just standing there like a statue. She's really creepy sometimes..." Hannah's voice intoned.  
  
"She also has that snake... I heard that she speaks Parseltongue..." came another voice.  
  
"I never fully trusted that girl, anyway... Has that strange sister of hers that never speaks to anyone..." Ernie said. "I think she knows something about what's going on and she isn't saying a word... do you think she's a spy for You-Know-Who?"  
  
"Vee? Oh no way... she's too isolated to be part of You-Know-Who...." said Hannah.  
  
"Another thing is that Astra is going out with a Malfoy.... only Slytherins marry into that family and she is wearing a promise ring...." said the third voice.  
  
"But she's a Gryffindor!" said Hannah.  
  
"Exactly my point... maybe she isn't a Gryffindor at heart... maybe she really wants to be a Slytherin and they are all bad..." said Ernie.  
  
Harry had heard this line of conversation before. It angered him even more than before, since they were accusing the most unlikely candidate for rumors. It irritated him to no end to listen to this drivel. "What is the deal with her pet, anyway... it changes from an owl to a cat to a snake... what kind of animal is that!" the third voice said.  
  
"One that is not normal...." Ernie said.  
  
"ASTRA isn't normal. She lost her father at the same time Harry lost his parents. She is always hanging around him. She even has a lot of his mannerisms!" the third voice said.  
  
"She's more like an extreme version, if you ask me... That temper of hers is NOT like Harry..." Hannah said. "He's a block of ice compared to her... Even that Weasley kid he hangs around is level headed compared to her..."  
  
"What's going on? Why are you talking about Astra?" said Ginny's voice just as Harry was about to reveal himself around the corner.   
  
"Nothing you should be concerned about, Ginny...." said Ernie quickly and Ginny came around the corner. Harry hushed her with a finger to his lips.   
  
"What's going on? I heard about someone finding a message on a wall near the transfiguration classroom." Ginny said, the color draining from her face.  
  
"Astra did, then Hannah Abbott saw her there next to the wall and screamed. " Harry said gruffly. He wanted to hit Ernie for accusing Astra. "That conversation was about Astra... I think they are trying to accuse her of putting the message on the wall..."  
  
"But what does it say?"  
  
"The Omega Time is upon you...." Harry told her. "For some reason, that line is familiar to me... I don't know why, though..."  
  
Ginny went even paler than before. "You don't think that..." she gulped. "That..."  
  
Harry instinctively knew what she was talking about. He knew that she was the one that wrote the message about the Chamber of Secrets in his second year. He knew that she was taken over by Tom Riddle when she wrote in his diary. "No Ginny... I don't think I am the one who did that..."  
  
"Then what is going on?" Ginny pleaded. She was terrified. She bit her bottom lip anxiously. Harry got a thrill every time she did that. He pressed his lips to hers and then deepened the kiss. Her arms wrapped around him and he pulled her closer to him.  
  
When he released her she smiled up at him dreamily. "What was that for...."  
  
"Because I thought it was a nice gesture..." he purred to her. She sighed and rested her head against his neck. He stroked her hair.   
  
Then, a chill went down his spine. He gasped at the sensation. The noise in the hallway died away. He saw in front of him, as though he stood out in color against a grey toned crowd, Justin Finch-Fletchly.   
  
Justin just stood watching Harry. He smiled knowingly. "Make sure that he never wins, Harry... make sure of that...." Justin said in a voice that rang out on an unfelt wind.  
  
Then, he turned and walked down the hallway through the bustling crowd. Harry let go of Ginny and chased after him. Justin walked out through the main entrance. Harry followed. He walked toward the greenhouses. Harry followed. Then, he disappeared as Harry heard a heart wrenching scream.  
  
Harry ran the rest of the way to Greenhouse four. He ran behind it. He heard Ginny's footsteps behind him. He found Professor Sprout lying on the ground like she had been petrified. Harry recognized this look. It was the look of someone who had been hit with the Killing Curse.  
  
He heard Ginny's shriek, but he didn't look back. He walked on and saw Justin hung from a tree by his hands. His body was almost indistinguishable, but Harry knew who it was even without looking at the stark white face. It was Justin Finch-Fletchly.   
  
Harry walked over and used a severing charm to cut Justin down. There were cuts on his wrists from the rope. On his forehead were three letters. "B... K... T..." he said as he traced the letters with a finger.  
  
"Oh my God... Justin!" screamed someone from behind. It wasn't Ginny. "And Professor Sprout! Oh my God!"  
  
Harry didn't bother turning around. He cradled the bloody mess of Justin in his arms. "I'm so sorry, Justin.... I'm so sorry...." He whispered.   
  
"Somebody help! We need help over here!" came Ginny's voice. "Somebody get help!"  
  
Harry heard Hermione's voice come. "What's going on--" Then-- "Oh no.... Harry!"  
  
Hermione strode over to Harry. Harry glanced up and smiled sadly. "B K T..." he said. Harry knew Hermione would want to know.  
  
She wrote something on a piece of parchment and knelt down next to Harry. Harry looked up at the sky and smiled. "Good bye Justin...." 


	21. The Rooster Tells All!

A/N: Okay... I can't help it! It's fun killing these people off. ::smirls:: me am feeling morbid...  
  
In all honesty... you won't see the rest of Harriet until I finish drawing it. That is how I generally figure out how things like that should go. I started out that way with HP AK. I will continue to do that with all my HP fanfiction.  
  
Poll Time! List your top five favorite scenes from POT, SRL, OT. (Phoenix Order Times, Soul Reaver's Light, Omega Time) (list five from each)  
  
  
  
Chapter Twenty-One  
  
  
  
  
The Hufflepuffs were all avoiding Astra at all costs. When she walked down the hallway, they all ran the opposite direction. It was starting to irritate her.  
  
She met up with Draco in the great hall and led him to the Gryffindor table. When she passed the Hufflepuff table, she caught part of a conversation. "--goes again with that Malfoy..."  
  
Astra paused to hear more, but Draco tugged her away. When they sat down, Ron made his usual remark to Draco. "The Slytherin is turning into a Gryffindor..."  
  
"No... I'm still a Slytherin.... though why you care, I don't know why..." Draco shot back. "Truth be told, I don't know how you got into Gryffindor when you obviously belong in Hufflepuff."  
  
"That isn't a compliment right now, Draco...." said Harry nonchalantly.  
  
"I wasn't intending it to be..."  
  
Astra munched on a muffin as she turned around to listen to the Hufflepuffs. They were being a lot quieter than usual. It probably had something to do with one of their own dying the past week. It was hard for her to hear what they were talking abut through the rest of the din.  
  
"Astra? What's wrong?" asked Nevaeh from across the table.  
  
Astra snapped out of her reverie and turned around. "Nothing much, Nev... I just can't figure out why those Hufflepuffs are avoiding me like the black plague. And just when I was walking past them, I overheard one of them say something like.... there she goes with that Malfoy..."  
  
"Yer kidding me...." Nevaeh said as she nearly dropped her fork.  
  
"Why do they care that you are with me?" Draco said with a bored yawn.  
  
Harry looked angry, but he was staring past Astra. "They think that you put the message up on the wall..." He said in a flat tone.  
  
Astra raised an eyebrow. "I already told that one girl that it wasn't me...."  
  
"It didn't seem to matter when Harry, Hermione and I were found by the message about the Chamber Of Secrets...." Ron said. "When they found out Harry was a parselmouth... that just solidified it...."  
  
"Haven't these people ever heard of Loyalty?! Good Lord! I thought that one trait was part of being a Hufflepuff!" Astra said.  
  
"Most of them are loyal.... just a couple of them that are the ringleaders in the rumor mill." Harry said. Then, he pointed toward a bulky seventh year boy. "Ernie McMillen is the main pain in my backside..."  
  
"Looks like he should be taught a lesson in intelligence..." Nevaeh said with a smirk.  
  
"He looks rather mean, if you ask me...." Kennedy said.  
  
Harry looked to Avalon next to Kennedy from across the table. She was silently eating, not even glancing around at anyone. Her long black hair was pulled back in a braid that fell down her back.  
  
Harry's anger was increasing. He remembered them accusing Avalon as being a spy. He knew better. All of Gryffindor knew better. "They accused Vee as being a spy..."  
  
Avalon looked up at him with her black eyes. They didn't drive into his with the same intensity. She looked scared. Kennedy wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close to him. "She isn't..." he said in a warning tone.  
  
"The whole of Gryffindor knows that, but Ernie was saying that he didn't trust her because she barely talks." Harry said.  
  
Kennedy was about to say something when Avalon put her hand up to silence him. Then, she stood up and walked away from the Gryffindor table. She walked over to the Hufflepuff able as Harry and Kennedy walked over with her.  
  
She tapped Ernie on his shoulder. He turned around and all the color drained from his face. "Y-yes?"  
  
"You dare to call me a spy when you yourself can't find your own soul.... You dare to say that I am giving away information when you sit here acting as a traitor...." Then, she got in his face. Harry was afraid that she would hurt him, though a little pain for him would not be such a bad thing. "Don't trifle with fire, Ernie....", she said in a calm, angry voice that barely went above a whisper, "I know you.... I know everything there is about you.... I know your secrets.... I know your past... and I can tell you this... if you dare to accuse me or my sister of being anything that you are.... I will turn you to ash...."  
  
Then, she let go of him and stood up. Harry stayed behind and glared down at Ernie, who looked as white as a sheet. Harry didn't need to say anything. All that needed to be said had already been said by Avalon.  
  
When Harry got back to his seat, he smiled thankfully at Avalon. "Good job, Vee... I think he's thoroughly frightened of you now...."  
  
She looked beyond angry. Her eyes were like lasers burning holes into Harry's eyes. "He is an instigator that needed to be grounded..." Then, she stuffed the rest of her food into her mouth.  
  
"Three cheers for Vee!" Astra shouted cheerfully. "Hip-hip!"  
  
"Horay!"  
  
"Hip-hip!"  
  
"Horay!"  
  
"Hip-hip!"  
  
"Horay!" went everyone around Avalon. She blushed and leaned closer to Kennedy, who had joined in the celebrating.  
  
When breakfast was over, the next class was Divination. Harry, Ron and Astra went up to the tower and opened the door on the ceiling to the classroom. They climbed up the ladder and entered.  
  
Professor Trelawny had her long, dark hair swirling around her as she walked around. She wore her usual bangles and shawl, with a wrap around skirt that swirled with her hair as she floated around the room. "I knew you two would come first..." she said without looking up.  
  
"Ma'am... there are three of us here..." Astra said as she pointed to herself.  
  
Professor Trelawny looked up and smiled sheepishly. "Yes... I meant you three.."  
  
"Riiiiight..."  
  
Harry sat down at a table with three chairs. Ron sat to his left and Astra sat down on his right. "So what are we doing today?" said Ron.  
  
Astra put her hands up to her brow in a manner emulating a mind reader. "I predict that we are going to be studying Alectromancy...."  
  
"You are correct, Miss Knight... I brought in a few roosters to use.. And a lot of grain... even brought in the letter boards..." Professor Trelawny said in her misty voice.  
  
Astra went white and looked as though she was choking on something. "Yer kidding me... I was being sarcastic!"  
  
"I don't think that matters now, Astra..." said Harry as he stifled a laugh.   
  
"What is Alectromancy anyway...." Ron said.  
  
"You take a board with the alphabet and numbers put into a circle. Then, you set a piece of bird seed or grain on each letter and number. Then, you set a rooster in the center and interpret a message from the grain he eats." Astra explained.  
  
"You're joking, right? You've got to be... there isn't any way that that could be real! It's too stupid!" Ron said.  
  
"Tell that to the good Professor..." Harry said.  
  
The trap door opened up. "Eh... Here come the wanna-be trelawny crew..." Astra said.  
  
Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil showed up and stood wondering where they should sit. Each wore the same bangles as Professor Trelawny. Parvati had her long dark hair pulled back in a braid laced with gold ribbon. Lavender had a couple of small braids laced with gold ribbon around her face.   
  
"If they weren't so pretty...." Ron said softly.  
  
"If you weren't practically engaged...." Harry said. Ron glared at Harry and Harry stifled his laughter. "Come on, Ron... It isn't that bad..."  
  
Ron smiled and laughed. "Yeah... It's not that bad being with the brainiest girl in the whole of Hogwarts... you know... she's quite sexy when she's sitting there--"  
  
"We don't need to know when she looks sexy to you, hormone boy...." Astra said with her head on the table and her hands on top of her head. "We can figure out that she's sexy to you if she's BREATHING."  
  
Harry put his fist in his mouth to keep himself from laughing. The result was him falling off his chair and shaking on the ground in silent laughter. "Oh you think this is funny, eh Harry? No need to figure out what you find sexy..." said Ron flatly.  
  
Harry was still sniggering when he lifted himself off of the floor. "And wh-what do you suppose that is?" Harry gasped through his laughter.  
  
"Need I remind you of Cho, the mistress of mystery?" Ron smirked down at Harry. "Last I recall, she said that you reminded her of her brother...."  
  
"I forget... does she have a brother? I don't recall there being anything about him here..." Astra said as she lifted her head up from the table.  
  
"I don't think she does...." Ron said. "Maybe ickle Harry is her long lost brother?"  
  
"Shut up, Weasley... or I might have to set Ginny on you...." Harry said with a smirk.  
  
Ron went pale. Astra snickered. "Never underestimate the sweet nature of a Weasley girl... she turns mean in under two seconds...."   
  
When the rest of the class came in, Harry went to work with his rooster. Ron kept the grain supply beside him. Astra kept a record of the letters. "This is like an ouiji board..."  
  
"Might as well ask what is going to happen in your future, Harry..." said Ron.  
  
The Rooster squawked suddenly. The rooster started pecking out letters frantically. Ron and Astra had to keep up with the bird. "A... R...I...T...H...M...A...C...Y...." Astra spelled out when the bird stopped.  
  
"Arithmacy..." said Harry. He was confused. "That's a course Hermione takes..."  
  
"Maybe the powers that be say that you will end up being tutored by Hermione." said Ron with a smile. "I wonder what job you're going to attempt in the distant future..."  
  
The rooster started pecking at the bird seed quickly. "A... U...R...O....R..."  
  
"Auror... I would never become an auror... it's too much of a job..." Harry said with a grimace.  
  
"Hey... let's see who I'm going to marry..." Ron said with excitement.  
  
"Oh hush up... everyone knows that yer going to marry Hermione..." Astra said with giggle.  
  
Harry noticed Astra was fiddling with something around her neck. "What's that you're wearing..." he said.  
  
She looked up at him in a surprised manner. Then, she looked down at her hand. "My necklace... when the two stone's meshed together... they made this..." The pendent that she was holding up was a red stone star.  
  
"Interesting..." The rooster started pecking again. "Watch it!"  
  
"E...N....D... G....A...M...E..." Astra read off the letters as the rooster pecked them out. "Endgame... What the hell is that supposed to mean."  
  
"That's what the finishing move is called in chess... The endgame... the final blow... checkmate...." Ron said. "That's just an odd way of calling it, though..."  
  
"What would a bird know about chess?" Harry said.  
  
The rooster started pecking letters out. When it was finished, Astra read the message. "Don't knock it, till you try it..."  
  
"Great... of all the dumb birds, we get the smartass chicken..." Ron said.  
  
After divination, Harry, Ron and Astra met up with Hermione and Ginny. After lunch, Draco met up with them and they all went outside. Draco stayed on Astra's side of the group. Avalon and Kennedy showed up a little later and they all sat outside on the grass.  
  
"Listen everyone... I finally figured out what the letters mean..." Hermione said. She took out a chart of numbers on top and letters on the bottom.   
  
"What's this, Hermione?" said Harry.  
  
"It's my arithmacy chart... You-know-who is using an arithmacy chart to convey something to us...."   
  
"What?" Harry said as he stared at the chart.   
  
"E N W...." Hermione read off.  
  
Harry found where the E was on the chart. He found an N and then a W underneath it. They were all situated underneath the number five.  
  
"DMV."  
  
Harry glanced over and found that four had a D, M, and a V under it.   
  
"CLU...."  
  
Harry found the letters underneath the number three. "BKT..." Harry was beginning to get a sick feeling.   
  
"It's all a game... He's giving us a countdown..." Hermione said.  
  
Something hit Harry like a lightning bolt to his head. He saw a flash of something. Avalon in a swirling mass of hair. He slapped himself back into reality. "A countdown... a countdown to what?!" Ron said.  
  
"What happens when he kills the last person..." Kennedy said.  
  
"The question is who is the last person on his sick little list..." Astra said.  
  
"Wait a minute... what about Professor Sprout..." Ginny said. "She was found dead around Justin..."  
  
"But she wasn't mutilated like the others...." Harry said. "It had to have been an accident... not in his plan... She must've seen Justin getting tortured and came to help, but got killed."  
  
"Then, who is the last person..." Ron said.  
  
"Think... part of the people killed knew me and are tied in some way together." Harry said.  
  
"Collin worshiped you and he was annoying and he was attacked in his first year..." Hermione said.  
  
"Susan knew you.... and wasn't annoying...." said Astra.  
  
"Fred was a good friend and a major prankster. " said Ginny.  
  
"And Justin was an idiot who knew you and was attacked in our second year..." Ron said. "The first two were attacked by the basilisk...."  
  
"The second two were not." Ginny said.  
  
"Why were they attacked?" asked Astra.  
  
"Because they---" Harry suddenly got an idea. "Because they were muggleborn..." He said in realization. Astra stared at Harry in confusion. "Voldemort was muggleborn and he hates muggles because his father left him when he was born when he found out that Voldemort's mother was a witch. His mother died soon after he was born."  
  
"He hates muggles...." Astra said as if she was just realizing something. "Susan's grandparents were muggles and Voldemort killed them..."  
  
"And the Weasleys are a bunch of muggle sympathizers." Draco said.  
  
"He's targeting the muggleborns and the muggle sympathizers that know Harry..." said Hermione. "That's just perfect... how many of those are there?!"  
  
"Oh about two hundred of them..." Ron said. Hermione growled in frustration.  
  
"We've got to find the last person and fast...", Harry said, "Before anything worse happens..." 


	22. Times up!

A/N: This thing is pickin' up, isn' it...! I love it! *tee hee* This is fun! A little Clue here, a little clue there.. It's great!   
  
I just got the third book of Angelic Layer today! It's great! I hope Misaki can beat Sai! GO MISAKICHI!  
  
I went to The Ring website and saw some really tripped out stuff on there... Just look up "The Ring" on google.com the way I have it written right here...  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Twenty-Two  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry woke up in the middle of the night to a strange sound. He walked to his trunk and listened. It was coming from inside of it. He opened the trunk and found the source. It was the pocket sneakoscope that Ron had given him in his fourth year. He wondered, briefly, why it was sounding off.  
  
He put it back and closed the trunk. He ruffled his hair in confusion. "I need to get that thing fixed..." he muttered.  
  
He yawned and walked to the door. He walked down the stairs, listening to his own heart beat and the sound of many people sleeping. He wished that he could sleep.  
  
He walked into the common room and sat down in the chair in front of the fire. It was a warm feeling that spread through him. He closed his eyes and enjoyed it.  
  
"You don't sleep..." said a soft voice.  
  
Harry opened his eyes and saw Avalon sitting in front of the fire, her long black hair swirled around her and onto the floor. She had her knees to her chest and her black eyes stared at the fire, never once glancing at him. "Avalon... why are you awake?"  
  
"I can't sleep... I never sleep..." she said in a hushed tone. "If I do, then he wins..."  
  
Harry tried to process this. "What are you talking about..."  
  
"If I close my eyes just briefly, then he wins..." Avalon said. She was rocking back and forth in her spot anxiously. "I close my eyes, then I admit defeat..."  
  
"What are you talking about... are you in some kind of staring contest?" Harry said. His sleep deprived brain couldn't process what she was saying. It was beginning to make his head hurt.  
  
Her head whipped around and her eyes bored into him. He felt himself sink into her eyes. He felt himself slowly engulfed by their flames. Then, he hit ground.  
  
He glanced around and found himself to be outside. "The lion roars for the one.... He is the number you search for..." said a voice that wasn't Avalon's.  
  
Harry stared up at the speaker. It was Astra, but it wasn't. She was much older in appearance. She looked to be in her thirties. She wore silver robes that almost matched her hair. "Look for the lion... he will die for the purpose. HE is waiting for the final blow. HE is waiting for you, Harry..." she said to him.  
  
She touched his forehead with a hand and he felt himself disappear into the air. He fell to the ground again. He opened up his eyes and found himself by the lake. He shook his head to regain himself. "What is happening..." he muttered.  
  
Then, He saw Avalon in a long black Gothic dress that swept the ground. Her waist length hair cascaded around her in waves. Her black eyes bored into him with a fiery intensity. "The countdown is almost done, Harry...."  
  
"Wha? I know that, but we don't know who the final person is..." Harry growled.  
  
"The Omega Time is nearing..." Avalon said with a voice that seemed to intensify her eyes. "Be ready...." Then,... Harry woke up....  
  
  
  
Harry yawned as he tried to eat breakfast. "I heard you yelp in your sleep, Harry... what have you been dreaming that wakes you up like that?" Neville said from a little ways down the table.  
  
Harry yawned again. "You know what? I don't honestly know... I can't remember..."  
  
"What are we going to do about herbology without Professor Sprout?" said Seamus.  
  
"I was wondering if I could come back as the herbology professor...." said Neville as he munched on some sausage.  
  
Ron nearly choked on his milk. "Professor!"  
  
"Yeah... I like herbology and it only takes knowledge to really do it... not magic..." Neville's ears went pink. He was a bumbling idiot when it came to magic.  
  
"And I think you will make a grand professor, Neville..." said Hermione as she stuck her tongue out at Ron. Ron stuck his out at her and they glared at eachother. Harry laughed. It was normal.  
  
Ginny sat down on the other side of Harry. He smiled down at her and kissed her cheek. She kissed his cheek and then put some food on her plate. "I had a wonderful dream last night!" she said cheerfully. "It had you in it, Harry..." she said as she gave him a sly grin.  
  
Harry felt the heat rise in his cheeks. He gulped and smiled. "Really... what was I doing?"  
  
Astra watched as Ginny leaned over and whispered something into Harry's ear. His face went as red as Ginny's hair. She giggled when she pulled back. Astra stifled her laughter at the two and shook her head.  
  
Astra felt a twinge in her head again. She had been getting them since the had figured out that they were dealing with a countdown. It was beginning to bother her. "Are you alright, Astra?" asked Nevaeh, who was siting next to her.  
  
"Yeah... I'm fine... but I keep getting these damned small headaches every couple of days." she said. Instinctively, she clamped her hand on her star pendant.  
  
"What're you doing, Astra? Is something wrong with your necklace?" asked Harry.  
  
Astra lifted her hand and looked down at the pendent. It was glowing from the light hitting it. "I uh... I don't know..."  
  
Harry thought about Astra for a moment. She looked a bit like she was defending the necklace from something. Draco came up with a book in his hand and a pair of glasses on his nose.  
  
"You've got to be joking...." said Harry.  
  
Draco glanced up. "Excuse me?"  
  
"What are you doing, Draco..." said Ron. "The glasses, the book..."  
  
"What... I can't read a book every now and then?" he said with an innocent smile.  
  
He sat down on the other side of Astra and took off his glasses. He set them on the book and began putting food on his plate. He was grumbling a little bit as he ate.  
  
"What are you up to with those glasses, goat-boy..." Astra said as she picked them up.  
  
Draco snatched them away from her. She raised an eyebrow and grinned madly. "Get outta here... you actually need them!"  
  
"Draco needs glasses?!" Ron sputtered.  
  
Draco's cheeks had turned a shade of hot pink. "It's none of your business, Weasley... or you Potter..." he growled.  
  
Astra snatched them from his clutches. She peered through them as she kept Draco away from them. "Give them back!" he growled.  
  
She had her foot on his chest as she looked them over. "I see... Vogue eyewear.. VERY expensive eyewear you've got... silver rimmed... very small lenses... and..", stopped suddenly and smiled, "Yer shittin' me..."  
  
"Give them back, Astra or I'll--"  
  
"Oh you'll do nuthin', goat-boy.." she said with a wide grin, her foot still firmly planted on his chest. "Yer far sighted...."  
  
He grabbed them from her finally. He put them on the book and glared at her. "Only a little bit..." He glared at Harry and Ron. "There now... Happy?! I'm far sighted... I need these stupid glasses!"  
  
"Ah, quitcher bitchin'...." Astra said. "You ain't the only one to need glasses at some point. I'm just a teensie bit near sighted, so I wear these, 'kay?" she indicated her glasses.  
  
"I'm the same..." Harry indicated his glasses with a smile. He felt kind of weird trying to make Draco feel better about needing glasses. Draco looked a little bit satisfied.  
  
"No one in my family needs glasses, why is it that I do..." he growled.  
  
"Well... you can always get surgery done to them to correct them...." said Hermione.  
  
"Nah... if he doesn't need them all that much, then it isn't as bad as that!" Astra said as she kissed Draco's cheek.  
  
"I only need them when I'm reading something like this..." he said as he indicated the book.  
  
"Then, he doesn't need them all the time and I can enjoy those ice like eyes of his!" Astra giggled. Draco smiled a quick smile and went back to eating.  
  
After Potions, Harry went back to the dormitories to put his books away. He saw Colin's scrapbook on his bed. He walked over to it and sat down on his bed. He opened the book and looked through it. He saw some pictures of him as a second year. He found a picture of Ron belching slugs on the Quidditch field. He saw a picture of Harry with his hand in front of his face. He found several pictures of the other students as well, although they looked more recent. Almost every one of them was moving.  
  
Harry found a picture of Colin and his brother standing together at their home. Harry guessed it was their home, since he had never seen their house. He found a picture of Colin with a girl Harry didn't recognize. He guessed that she was a muggle.  
  
He found a picture of himself, Ron, Hermione and Ginny when they were on one of their walks. He also found a picture of Draco stuffing his face with chocolate. Harry reminded himself to show Astra that picture.  
  
He lifted the book into his lap and a bunch of pictures fell out. Harry looked through them. He found one of Justin.   
  
Harry shifted the picture around. He wondered it there was something wrong with it. The face was distorted, like one of those funhouse mirrors. Harry tapped the picture and it still remained like that.  
  
He set that one aside and found a picture of Susan Bones. Her face was distorted as well. He looked through and found a picture of Fred, whose face was distorted. Harry got a chill up his spine.  
  
He put these pictures in a small pile and went through the rest of them. There weren't any others like the three that he had found. He saw a picture of Dean Thomas in front of one of the tapestries with a lion roaring at something. He found a picture of himself trying to study. He found a picture of Hermione ripping a piece of parchment to shreds, looking rather angry.  
  
He picked up the distorted ones and took them to dinner with him. He found Hermione, Ron and Ginny at the Gryffindor table. "Harry! You're late!"  
  
"I found some pictures that you might want to look at..." Harry said in a huff as he sat down. Hermione took the pictures and looked through them.  
  
"These things couldn't be any creepier..." Ron said as he looked over her shoulder.  
  
Hermione looked up. "Where did you find these...?"  
  
"In Colin's scrapbook.... He hadn't gotten to them yet..." Harry said.  
  
"These are recent. Were the other pictures like this?" she asked him. Harry shook his head. "Odd... very odd..."  
  
"I don't think they were like that when he produced them..." Harry said.  
  
"You're saying that you think that they changed when the people died?" Hermione said. "That's an awful leap, if you ask me...."  
  
"Omega.... Omega...."   
  
Harry turned and saw Astra looking intently at her fork. "What did you say, Astra?"  
  
"The omega time is upon you all..." Astra repeated the message on the wall. "Omega is the last letter of the Latin alphabet. Alpha being first... hence the phrase Alpha and omega...." She paused and fiddled with her necklace. "Omega is a substitute for end...."  
  
"The end...?" Harry said.  
  
Just then, Harry felt a chill go up his spine. He saw out of the corner of his eyes, Dean Thomas standing at the doorway. Dean smiled sadly at him. Then, he beckoned Harry with a finger.  
  
Harry stood up. He didn't hear the questioning remarks from his friends as he started walking for the entrance to the great hall. He walked through and saw Dean looked at him in that beckoning way again.  
  
Dean walked through the main hall and out the doors. Harry followed him outside. Then, Dean seemed to disappear as soon as Harry hit the grass. "Dean? Dean!"  
  
There was a heart wrenching scream of agony. Harry heard Ginny calling for him and he heard the footfalls of Astra. "Wait up, Harry!" Astra called.  
  
Harry ran toward where he had heard the scream. He kept running until... he came upon the lake. The moon shone on it with brilliance. He saw a sickening sight on the tree next to the lake. Dean was tied to the tree, mutilated beyond recognition, except his face.  
  
Harry ran toward Dean and cut him down. His blood dribbled on Harry's robes. Harry saw the letters A, J, S cut into his forehead. "One..." Harry whispered.  
  
"Harry!"   
  
Astra's voice could be heard clearly now. Harry lifted his gaze to her. She was standing next to him, staring down at the bloody mass on Harry's lap. "Oh God...." she said.  
  
"We can't help him now.... he's dead..." Harry said softly.  
  
"It isn't that... He's the last one... That means Voldemort will be around here at any time! We've got to get him inside right now!" Astra said.  
  
"But Voldmort did this.... he should be around here..." Harry growled.  
  
"Voldemort can't have done that... have you ever actually looked at those slashes? He used someone with claws to kill them! They will be going to Voldemort right now..."  
  
Suddenly, Astra's head whipped up. She looked as if she were listening. "The end.... The end time... The endgame!" she said. 


	23. Endgame

A/N: WARNING: Fluent Star Wars lines are being used in a part of this... please forgive me... ^.^;;   
  
  
  
  
Chapter Twenty-Three  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry ran behind Astra with the body of dean over his shoulder. Astra had helped in getting him to feel lighter, but it was still slow in going. He looked behind him and saw dozens of lights coming from inside the forest.  
  
Harry saw Dumbledore come outside. Harry ran as best as he could to him. "Professor! Professor!" Harry yelled. It was getting more difficult to run.   
  
He finally reached Dumbledore. "Get inside, quickly, Harry...!" He whispered harshly. "Get inside now!"  
  
Harry ran for the main entrance and saw Astra's hands pull him inside. Harry put Dean onto the stone floor. He heard a few of the girls scream. "Oh my God!"  
  
Professor Snape ran, with McGonagall trailing behind him, up to the door. They each picked up one end of a long, heavy looking wooden bar and put into through the lock slots of the door. Professor McGonagall whipped around to Hermione. "Get everyone to their houses!"   
  
Hermione nodded curtly and ran off to the prefects. Harry slid to the ground slowly, his scar was throbbing painfully. McGonagall knelt down next to him, her skirts flowing over his feet.  
  
Something occurred to Harry suddenly. "Professor Dumbledore! He's out there! We've got to lift the bar! He's still out there!"  
  
McGonagall hushed him. "Professor Dumbledore told us to do that.... He'll be fine... You, however, and Miss Knight, need to get up to Gryffindor Tower."  
  
Astra's hands wrapped around Harry's shoulders and hefted him up. "Let's get goin'... there's nothing we can right now..." Astra said.  
  
Harry shook his head. "There is! We've got to get out there and help Professor Dumbledore!"  
  
"Let's go Harry!" Ron shouted.  
  
Astra grabbed Harry's robes and dragged him to the portrait hole. The Fat Lady looked white as a sheet. Harry couldn't remember the password at the moment. "No need, dearie... go on inside now!" Astra dragged Harry into the common room.  
  
The common room was buzzing with fear and excitement. Harry saw Seamus was as white as a sheet and saw Ron and Hermione cradling eachother like he was going to lose at any moment.  
  
Harry glanced around. He saw Denis with one of the younger girls. She was crying heavily in Denis' shoulder. Harry looked around and couldn't find the one person he was looking for.   
  
"Ron! Ron!" Harry shouted.  
  
Ron snapped out of his glaze and stared up at Harry, white as a sheet. "Ron! Where's Ginny!"  
  
"I thought she came up with you two!" Ron said.   
  
Harry got a sick feeling in his stomach. "No... She can't be out there..." Harry muttered. He felt like retching at that moment.  
  
Astra looked like she was debating something. Suddenly, her head snapped up. "She is out there! I can hear her!" she said.  
  
Harry felt tears coming to his eyes. All he could think was of Ginny lying like on the ground dead like Dean or Justin. "We've got to get out there... We've got to get out of here!"  
  
"You can't, Harry! They've barred the main entrance!" Hermione said, her brown eyes glistening with tears. "Dumbledore will help her!"  
  
"No! We've got to get out there!" Harry said. "We have to!"  
  
Avalon was by the window, Kennedy holding her protectively around her waist. She looked like peace incarnate. Her expression was calming as she gazed out the window. Harry felt his fear begin to ebb away as he stared.  
  
He walked over to the window to see what she was watching. He stood next to her and stared out the window with her. Harry saw nothing. There was nothing outside. "The endgame has come... you are the one to finish...." He heard Avalon's voice break into his haze.  
  
Harry snapped around, but noticed that everyone had stopped. It was as though time had stopped. Avalon was the only other person moving. She gazed up at him and smiled. "You are the one, Harry... You are the one to finish this...."  
  
Then, time resumed. Harry saw that Avalon wasn't looking at him now. She was still gazing through the window. He followed her gaze and saw a small body with flaming hair lying on the ground. "Ginny...." he whispered.  
  
Suddenly, The whole of Gryffindor shook as though in an earthquake. Harry fell to the ground. "Ow!"  
  
"He's attacking the castle!" shouted someone.  
  
"Everyone get down!" Harry shouted.  
  
Another earthquake type tremor racked Gryffindor tower. "He's trying to get in!" shouted someone from across the room.  
  
"Everyone, calm down!" Hermione shouted.  
  
Harry had had enough. He stood up and ran up the boys staircase. He ran into his dorm room and went through his trunk. He found his invisibility cloak and threw it around him.  
  
Astra was in the common room, trying to keep herself from getting hit by the debris falling from the ceiling. Nevaeh was helping a few of the younger students to stay calm. They were sequestered in a small corner where the debris wouldn't fall on them.  
  
The castle shook again. Astra steadied herself as though she were on a boat on a stormy ocean. She suddenly felt something hit her shoulder. She grabbed whatever it was and it stopped. She knew who it was.  
  
She glanced around and lifted the cloak, ducking under it before anyone noticed. "Astra! Get beck out there! I have to do this alone!" Harry whispered harshly at her.  
  
"You aren't the only one that has a destiny, Harry..." she growled. "Let's get going before someone notices...."  
  
Harry glared at her. "Harry... we need to get out there... My fifth year prediction is going to hold true tonight..." she growled.  
  
Harry remembered the prediction. It made his blood run cold in his veins. He nodded curtly and they snuck out of the portrait hole. The Fat Lady was babbling in a confused manner. "What? Who was that! Who are you!"  
  
They ran along the corridors. Harry saw teachers running every direction as the castle shook underneath their feet. Professor Snape showed up out of no where. He was whiter than usual.  
  
Professor McGonagall showed up and stumbled as another tremor shook the castle. "Severus!" she shouted. She went into a coughing fit as some dust fell down on her.  
  
Snape trotted over to her and held her. "Minerva.... This castle can't hold up much longer!"  
  
"I know, Severus... I know..." she coughed again. Harry saw tears streak her face. She held onto Snape with such ferocity that Harry was sure that she would crack Snape's ribs.  
  
"I won't let him hurt you...." Snape said. "I promise..." Then, he pulled her chin up and kissed her passionately on the lips. She clutched his black robes and kissed back with the same passion. "I love you..." he whispered.  
  
Astra nudged Harry in his back and Harry walked forward. They ran along the corridors to the main entrance. Harry glanced around and nodded Astra to the other side of the bar.  
  
"No need... I feel that I can lift this right now..." she smiled at him. He lifted the cloak over her and she lifted the bar as easily as though she were lifting a book laden bag. She put it on the ground and Harry opened the doors.  
  
"We need to close it behind us... there's no turning back if we fail...." Astra said.  
  
Harry thought of a locking spell and instructed Astra to take her wand out as well. They each produced a locking spell that made the doors close with as much ferocity as the castle tremors.  
  
They ran under the cloak until they saw Professor Dumbledore. He was in a wizard duel with Lord Voldemort. "The circle is now complete, Dumbledore...." said Voldemort with a grin. "When I left you, I was but a learner..... NOW I am a Master..."   
  
"Only a master of evil, Voldemort...." said Dumbledore. He just stood with his wand ready for a battle. The deatheaters were the one's attacking the school. Harry thought he saw a couple of trolls beating on the walls.  
  
Voldemort sneered and flicked his wand. A spell shot out at Dumbledore and he ducked it, sending out a spell of his own. "Your powers are weak, old man..." said Voldemort. Then, he sent out another spell.  
  
Dumbledore blocked the spell. Harry thought he saw Dumbledore stumble slightly, as if out of breath. Then, he straightened up and stared at Voldemort. "You can't win, Voldemort.... If you strike me down..." Dumbledore gave a wry smile. "I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine...."  
  
Voldemort growled angrily and lunged at Dumbledore. "You should never have taken over the school!"  
  
"My, my... did I hit a nerve?" smirked Dumbledore. "I rather miss the old boy that smiled at me when I called him by name. Tom Riddle..."  
  
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!!!!!!" Voldemort sent out spell after spell. Suddenly, Dumbledore fell to the ground. Harry felt Astra hold onto his arm tightly.  
  
Voldemort walked over to Dumbledore and sneered down at him. "Leg locker curse... I wanted you to witness your precious school be blown to smitherines, but I see that this has gone on long enough. Good bye, Dumbledore." Then, Voldemort lifted his wand and brought it down, sending out a green shot of light.  
  
Harry broke away from Astra and threw off the cloak, taking his wand out in the same movement. "Voldemort!"  
  
Astra grabbed her wand. Suddenly, she was on the ground. It didn't register until a second later that someone was on top of her. She saw two very large hawk like, yellow eyes staring into her eyes. A sick smile spread across Donovan's face.  
  
She struggled to get away from him, but he had her pinned to the ground. "You can't get away from me now, little star...." he said. There was something like a demented gleam in his eyes.  
  
"Help!" she cried.  
  
Harry heard Astra, but he couldn't take his eyes away from Voldemort. He cursed silently at not being able to help her. "Where's Ginny!" He growled at Voldemort.  
  
"Oh... you mean...." Voldemort did something fancy with his hands and Ginny suddenly appeared in his arms. Her face was as white as marble and she hung limply in Voldemort's long arms. Her flaming hair fell around her. "This little one?" Voldemort smirked at Harry.  
  
"She's quite a fighter, you know... very lovely...." Voldemort caressed a long finger down Ginny's white cheek. She stirred a little bit, but then settled back. A smiled crossed Voldemort's lips and he gazed up at Harry with his red eyes gleaming with amusement.  
  
"Let her go...." Harry growled.  
  
"Oh... I don't think so... she's much too pretty..." Voldemort said with cold laughter.  
  
Astra kicked Donovan in his groin and slid out from underneath him. Donovan growled and rolled on the ground in pain. Astra smiled at her success. Suddenly, pain ripped through her arm.   
  
She was able to block most of Zillia's attack, only suffering a minor gash. Blood seeped though her sweater. Zillia smiled coldly at Astra. "You hurt him... how dare you..." Zillia growled.  
  
"I'm sorry about that, but you might want to keep a leash on your demented boy toy!" Astra growled as she gripped her arm.  
  
Zillia licked the blood off of her claw like hands. "It was fun killing them.... all of them..." she laughed.  
  
Astra growled. She let her hand hit the ground as she lashed her foot out to connect with Zillia's neck. Zillia went down choking. "Insta clothes-line!" Astra smirked as she stood back up.  
  
Zillia got to her feet and Astra took out her wand. "Electrosa!" Astra growled. Zillia was hit with a blue-white light that spread around her. She convulsed on the ground like she was being electrocuted.  
  
The smell of burnt hair emanated off of Zillia's steaming body. Astra coughed involuntarily and started to turn around. She was struck across the face, sending her to the ground. Someone picked her up and threw her against a tree.  
  
Astra tasted blood in her mouth. She felt it trickle out of the one of the corners as she slid down the rough bark of the tree. She felt hands lift her up and slam her against the tree again.   
  
One of the hands left her shoulders and lifted her chin up. She opened her eyes and gazed into those yellow orbs. Donovan smiled again. "How about a dance before I kill you..." he said.  
  
"Go to hell, Donovan..." Astra coughed.  
  
"I plan to, but not before I send you there with me..." he whispered to her. His face was mere inches from hers. "I have always wanted to taste your blood...." he said seductively as he flicked his tongue against the corner of her mouth.  
  
Astra felt his mouth on hers. She felt him deepen the kiss, sending her mind into overload. She felt limp, like her energy was being sucked out of her through his kiss. She knew she had to get away from him before she was too weak to fight him.  
  
Suddenly, something knocked him away. She slid down the bark of the tree again. Someone lifted her up and she opened her eyes. She saw Sirius smiling down at her. "I hath saved you again, my lady...." he grinned. "Better get you up before he regains consciousness." he said to her.  
  
Astra felt a little stronger now. She staggered away from the tree and picked up her wand. "We need to help Harry..." Astra said.  
  
"I know... the question is how... Remus is inside the school right now, so he can't help...." Sirius said.   
  
Sirius was hit by a rather large tree branch. He was thrown twenty feet away by the force. Astra turned and saw Donovan grinning madly at her. "I'm not through with you, bitch!"  
  
Donovan lunged at her. Astra couldn't block him. She felt something pierce her skin, running through her body. She felt the blood running down her torso. She felt unconsciousness setting in. She was dying.  
  
Harry saw her fall to the ground in a heap with a long, sharp pole sticking out of her. Donovan ripped the pole out of her and turned it upright. He ran his tongue along the point, tasting the blood.  
  
Harry felt sick. Astra was lying on the ground with blood spilling across the ground. Voldemort dropped Ginny on the ground and sneered at Harry. "I see your safety net has been demolished."   
  
"Astra..." Harry whispered in a shaky voice.  
  
He crawled over to Astra and cradled her head and shoulders in his arms. Harry caught sight of Sirius jumping from the ground onto Donovan. Sirius had turned into the big black dog and was ripping Donovan's clothes.  
  
Harry turned around, still holding onto Astra. Voldemort seemed forget about Ginny, since she still lay on the ground where he had dropped her. Harry couldn't ask for anything better. He only hoped that she would wake up before Voldemort remembered about her.  
  
Voldemort advanced on Harry. He lifted his wand and brought it down. "Avada Kedavra!" Harry waited for the impact. The sound of death rushing towards him. He heard a scream and someone fall in front of him. Wormatil fell to the ground, cold and white. His silver hand was gone now. He had saved Harry.  
  
"Damnable, wretched traitor!" Voldemort growled and brought the wand down again. Harry clutched Astra. He saw bright light surround him. He heard the sound of rushing death. He felt his life ebb away. Then,.... he saw nothing.... 


	24. The Light

A/N: Ooo.... Am I scaring you all? Did I just kill Harry and Astra? Is this the end?  
  
Harry:. Not bloody Likely!  
  
Astra: ::extreme sarcasm:: Could you have chosen a more painful way of killing me? I don't think I have been tortured enough....  
  
Me: Ah... Quitcher Bitchin'!  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Twenty-Four  
  
  
  
  
Harry felt like he was suspended in the air. There was a brightness to where he was. He opened his eyes and saw nothing but brilliant white light.   
  
He noticed that his head didn't hurt anymore. He saw that his clothes still had blood and dirt all over them. He winced through the bright light to see where exactly he was. Nothing came to his vision except bright light.  
  
He moved one of his arms. It moved like he was swimming. He put more power into moving and straightened himself out. He had been floating at an odd angle, at least he felt like he was. The place he was in didn't exactly look like it had any up or down.  
  
He put a hand up to his forehead and felt his scar. It wasn't burning anymore. It was incredibly cool. He took his hand away and saw blood on it. His scar was bleeding again.  
  
"Where am I..." he said softly to himself. He briefly wondered if he was in heaven. He suddenly saw the ring Ginny had given him. He smiled. He hoped that if he was dead, that Voldemort would forget about Ginny. The last thing would want her to have to deal with is Voldemort.  
  
He felt a tear streak his face. It felt hot as it tumbled over his cold cheek. He suddenly turned. He thought he heard someone speak. He saw someone come out of the whiteness.  
  
It was two people. He saw a flash of green eyes and lots of black messy hair. He saw his mother and father appear. His mother smiled at him. His father smiled at him as well.  
  
"Mum... dad?" Harry heard his voice say.  
  
"Yes, son....." said his father.  
  
"What are you doing here? Am I dead?" Harry stammered.  
  
"That is not for us to say, dear...." said his mother.  
  
"I'm so happy to see you!" Harry smiled sadly, tears were streaking his face.  
  
"As are we..." said his father.   
  
Harry couldn't hold back any longer. He floated over to them and hugged them. He could touch them. They were real. "I missed you so much!" He cried as he held his father. His mother took him now and he started crying into her neck. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"  
  
"For what, Harry?" she asked in a soothing voice. Her hand ran through his hair in a calming manner.  
  
"I couldn't kill him! He was too strong!" Harry cried.  
  
"Shhhh...." she hushed him.   
  
He lifted his head and gazed into her eyes. They were as green as his. He felt like they were peering straight through him. "They aren't dead....." she said, but didn't open her mouth. The voice sounded as if it were coming from someplace else.  
  
Harry lifted his head to look where the voice came from. His mother did the same. "We must go now...." she said. This time, her mouth opened. He smiled at him. "Take care...."  
  
"Mum... mum! Dad!" They faded into the harsh white background. Harry felt cold all over again. If he was in heaven, then he didn't want to be here.  
  
"Do you want to live....?"  
  
Harry was startled back into his current situation. He had heard another voice. It wasn't his imagination. He glanced around. He couldn't see anyone else around in the whiteness.  
  
The voice came again. It was a harsh tone, yet it was soft at the same time. It sounded very familiar. "Do you want to live.....?"  
  
Everything was incredibly familiar. He couldn't place where he had heard this before. "Who are you!" He cried into the whiteness.  
  
"Do you want to live....?"  
  
He was taken aback by the voice. He wondered why it was asking him this. Then, he wondered how he could answer it. He desperately wanted to save Ginny and the others from Voldemort. He also wanted to be with his parents again. He desperately wanted to be with his parents.  
  
"Do you want to live....?"  
  
Three stones appeared in front of him. They were very familiar. One was a red stone cut into the shape of a star. Another was a small green stone, the color of his eyes. The last one was a black stone that he had seen before.  
  
They started glowing brilliantly. They formed a circle and started spinning. They grew brighter with every turn and circled faster. They soon grew so bright Harry had to turn his gaze away.   
  
He winced through the brilliant white light and saw a form. He saw long legs grow from the light and long, strong arms. A strong body formed as well and was covered in long white and silver robes. It was a woman not much older than he was. SHe had incredibly long silvery hair flowed around her. It was Astra.  
  
The stones were gone. Instead a small light floated around her neck. It spun faster until it looked as though there was a line of pure white light serving as a necklace. Then, it became a brilliant silver chain. Then, Harry saw a pendant of the same bright silver. It was a triangular Celtic knot with another inside of it.  
  
Then, Astra stopped glowing. She was suspended much like Harry was when he woke up. He floated over to her and tentatively touched her cheek. She was cold to the touch, like he was.  
  
Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she gasped in air. Harry jerked back and watched her carefully. She stretched and moved her self into a position much like his. Her long hair swirled around her as if she were in water. She gazed at him with eyes that weren't Astra's. They were brilliant red and empty looking.  
  
"H-Hello?" he gulped. She was terrifying.  
  
"Do you want to live....?" she asked in a voice that sounded like Astra's, but didn't have her warmth or her accent.  
  
"What are you talking about.... aren't I already dead?" He said, still watching her like she was a predator.  
  
"You have been acting as though you wish to die, but your heart says otherwise..." she said harshly. "I ask again.... do you want to live..."  
  
Harry opened his mouth again, but nothing came out. She had said that he had been acting as though he wanted to die. "What do you mean that I have been acting as though I want to die...." he asked.  
  
"Your heart beats strong, but you act weakly, like you wish to die... Your parents always stay on your mind, no matter what you do...." she said.  
  
Her words hit him like a railroad spike through him. He thought about all the times he had the chance to see his mother and father. He saw them in the mirror of Erised. So he came back a few times until Dumbledore told him that he ought to stay away from it and not forget to live. He saw them during the Priori Incantatem. He wanted to be with them even at the cost of Voldemort killing him.   
  
He looked at the ring on his hand and sighed. He realized what she meant now. He had always been wanting to be with them, that he didn't care that would die to be with them. Now, he thought about Ginny. He thought about Ron and Hermione. He thought about all of his friends. He wondered what Voldemort would do to them if he didn't go back. He shuddered as a horrible image of Ginny being tortured came to him. He remembered having to watch as Voldemort attacked her repeatedly with the Cruciatus curse.  
  
The Astra look-alike floated in front of him. Her empty red eyes stared at him. Her lips were as red as her eyes and her skin was almost the same color as her hair. "Do you want to live...?" she said with a smile.   
  
"Yes..." he said softly. Tears were streaking his cheeks. They weren't as hot as they had been. "I want to live...."  
  
"You must defeat him, Harry.... It is the only way..." she said. Her smile had gone away as quickly as it had come. "Use your key to take the sword from me..."  
  
He stared hard at her. "What the hell are you talking about."  
  
She floated forward and took his hand. She pulled it up to show him. It was the hand with Ginny's ring on it. The gem glowed brilliantly at her touch. It was as red as her eyes. "That's the ring Ginny gave me for my birthday..." his voice barely going above a whisper.  
  
"It is the key.... You must take the sword that is within my body and use it to defeat Voldemort...." She said.  
  
She put his hand on her chest. For a moment, he felt skin underneath his hand. Then, he felt his hand fall through her. His knuckles knocked against something metal and he grabbed it. He pulled it out and saw a brilliant silver sword. It had the same knot on the hilt as the knot on the necklace.  
  
Then, he felt a hand on his forehead. He jerked his head up and saw the woman smiling at him, her hand caressing his forehead where his scar was. "You will do well... Harry Potter...." she said. Then, she kissed his scar and faded away into the whiteness.  
  
He felt himself falling. He fell through the white. He fell through the light and cold air. He fell through into a grey area. He saw around him images of things he knew. He saw Ron and Hermione smiling at him. He saw Ginny blushing to the roots of her hair as she gave him a card. He saw Astra and Nevaeh laughing like they always did. He saw Draco and him in the duel that he did in his second year. He saw all of this and more.   
  
He fell into blackness. He saw Ginny kissing someone that wasn't him. He saw Ron crying over the dead body of Hermione. He saw Avalon and Kennedy carrying Astra and Nevaeh to a tree. He knew what this meant. It was what would happen it he didn't succeed.  
  
Then, he felt ground underneath him. He was clutching the sword. He heard a familiar inspiring trumpeting. He glanced up and saw Fawkes the Phoenix flying above. His song brought out Harry's courage and he glanced around him. He saw Astra on the ground. She was battered, but wasn't bleeding anymore. Her wound was gone. Around her neck, he saw the necklace.  
  
"NO! It should've killed you!" growled Voldemort insanely. He muttered something and a flash of green light shot at Harry.  
  
Harry brought up the sword and felt something push him back. He felt as though he were going to fall back at any moment. He saw in front of him brilliant light. Then, the light vanished and he saw Voldemort glaring at him angrily. Harry felt his scar throb painfully. He felt the trickle of blood going down his nose and over his cheek.  
  
Voldemort shot another barrage at Harry. This time, Harry fell back onto the ground. In fact, he was thrown back about ten feet away. He landed on the ground, still clutching the sword in his hand.  
  
He lifted himself up. The sword had taken Voldemort's curse for him. It seemed to absorb the power thrown into it, but couldn't take it all. That was why he was on the ground again.  
  
The sword was vibrating in his hand. It practically buzzed with power. He swung the sword and felt it give off a blow. Voldemort flew back and hit the ground. He had landed next to Ginny.  
  
"Fine... I see you need persuasion..." He said with a demented gleam in his eyes. He put his hand in his robes and brought out a nasty looking knife. Harry rushed forward and swung his sword. Voldemort flew back again with Ginny in his arms. Voldemort growled at Harry again and plunged the knife into Ginny.  
  
"Ginny!" Harry shouted as he rushed forward again. Ginny's eyes had opened just as Voldemort plunged the knife into her stomach.   
  
Her eyes closed and she went limp Voldemort's arms. Voldemort stood up, his front and his right hand were covered in blood. The knife was still in his hand as he gave Harry an amused grin.  
  
Harry felt tears streak his cheeks again. Voldemort rushed forward and swung the blade at Harry. Harry blocked the attack. The blade grew suddenly to the size of a sword. It looked even nastier than it did before. The edge of the blade was jagged.  
  
"I'm going to kill you now! I grow tired of having to deal with you time and again!" Voldemort growled at Harry as he swung the blade again.  
  
Harry blocked as much as he could. He felt the jagged edge tear his shoulder. He felt the blood trickle down from it. He blocked another attack by Voldemort. Harry couldn't feel anymore. He saw Ginny's body lying on the ground, blood was spilling from her.  
  
Then, he heard a song come out of no where. Fawkes was singing again. He gave Harry renewed courage. He flew down next to Ginny and Harry knew everything really would be alright.  
  
He charged Voldemort and swung the bright silver blade. He cut Voldemort across his chest. "Fool! Do you think I will be defeated by a mere brat!"  
  
"You will not harm anyone else ever again!" Harry cried.  
  
Voldemort pushed Harry to a tree and stabbed at Harry. Harry caught part of the blade in his leg. He jumped up and climbed the tree to get away from Voldemort. He ran along a branch and jumped off, landing on the ground on his bad leg. Pain coursed through him.  
  
"No you don't!"   
  
Harry saw Voldemort coming at him again. Harry jumped up and blocked Voldemort's blade from hitting him. Harry managed to scratch Voldemort's cheek.  
  
Harry ran backwards toward Ginny. He saw Fawkes next to her. Fawkes gave a call and Harry felt renewed strength in him. Harry blocked another blow.   
  
Voldemort successfully disarmed Harry. His sword fell from his hand and Voldemort swung at him still. Harry dodged his blade as best as he could. He led him away from Ginny as fast as he could. He dove under Voldemort and grabbed the blade.   
  
Voldemort saw him and stabbed at him. Harry felt the jagged blade pierce his other leg. He felt the blade leave him. He threw himself at his sword again. He grabbed it.  
  
Voldemort lunged at Harry again. Harry swung around. He stabbed his sword upward at Voldemort. He felt it go into something.   
  
Harry opened his eyes again. He saw blood coursing over his hands. He saw Voldemort growling at him. The color had drained from his already too pale face. His lips had grown a blue-ish coloration.  
  
He choked and gave a strangled sound. Harry saw his blade was buried deep into Voldemort's chest. He saw blood in Voldemort's mouth. It trickled out of his mouth. "Now... I'm really pissed off...." Voldemort said in a raspy voice.  
  
Harry growled at him and jerked back on the hilt of the sword. Harry fell backward with the bloody sword in his hand. Voldemort stood like a marionette that had its strings caught up. He gave a cry and light tore through him.   
  
Voldemort's wounds opened up with light pouring from them. Harry had to wince at the bright light that was filling his gaze. Voldemort reached for Harry and jerked back as he cried out again. Then, he disintegrated into the light.  
  
Harry sat and stared at the place where Voldemort had stood. Harry shook his head slightly. He wondered if he actually witnessed this. He gazed around and saw Ginny. Fawkes stood beside her.   
  
Harry crawled over to her. He touched her hand and he felt warmth coming from it. Her bright brown eyes fluttered open. She turned her head and smiled up at Harry. "Harry you're alright..." she said softly. Her hand reached up and caressed his cheek. He smiled back at her.  
  
"I'm sorry that he did that to you..." He said in a raspy voice. He put a hand on her stomach where there was a hole in her sweater and shirt. Blood stained the cloth, but there wasn't any wound there now. A tear fell down his cheek.   
  
"Don't cry...." she said. She sat up and kissed his lips gently. She hugged him and he held onto her like he would never see her ever again. "Everything will be alright...." she whispered to him.  
  
Astra felt someone holding her hand. She opened her eyes and looked up into the blue eyed gaze of Sirius. He grinned down at her. "Are you feeling alright?" He asked.  
  
She sat up and put a hand to her head. She had a massive headache. "Where's Harry?"  
  
"Over there.... let me help you up..." He said as he took her arms and pulled her toward him. She stood up and saw Harry hugging Ginny. She smiled.  
  
"Harry!"   
  
Harry twisted around and saw Astra running over to him with Sirius behind her. "Harry! Are you alright?"  
  
Harry smiled and pulled her down into the group hug. "Thank you, Astra..." he said to her when Ginny and he let her go. "If it wasn't for that necklace you have there, I wouldn't have been able to defeat Voldemort...."  
  
Astra blushed. "It wasn't me.... it was you... you were the one who killed him... not me..."  
  
Sirius sighed and kneeled down on the ground with them. "You three scared the life out of me, you know that? I truly thought you two were dead!" He sighed again. Then, he stood up. "I'm going back up to the castle, sit in a cozy chair and have a nice, peaceful heart attack...."  
  
They all laughed. It was a wonderful feeling to be alive. He knew that he would be with his mother and father one day, just not today. He had to live his life first. That was what was important now.  
  
They trudged up to the castle and were greeted by a frightened Professor McGonagall and glowering Professor Snape. "You three could have gotten killed!" She growled at Harry, Astra and Ginny.  
  
Fawkes flew over and settled on Harry's shoulder. Professor McGonagall saw the bird and her eyes grew wide and sad. She bowed her head and sighed. "He's dead isn't he....."  
  
Sirius nodded solemnly. She stiffened and drew back to Professor Snape. She grasped his hand tightly, her knuckles whitened. "Let's get you all to the infirmary...." she said.  
  
They walked to the infirmary. Harry and Ginny were greeted by a very pale Ron and Hermione. "You two scared the crap out of us, you know that!" Ron said.  
  
"Sorry...." Harry said. Ron punched Harry on the shoulder playfully. Harry knew he deserved it for scaring them so badly. He relished the feeling of having his friends so close. 


	25. The Beginning

A/N: Okay... I was semi-expecting a bigger turn out for reviews on chapter 23.   
  
Guess not....  
  
I love all of you who reviewed and those of you who just read and didn't drop a word or two..... you can go get stuffed! ::joking:: ::half anyway....::   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter Twenty-Five  
  
  
  
  
  
Harry woke up in the infirmary. He felt someone on the bed beside him. He opened his eyes and glanced around. He saw a lock of red hair resting on his chest. He smiled and put his bandaged hand on her head, caressing Ginny's cheek.  
  
He laid his head back onto his pillow and closed his eyes. In a few minutes he would wake her up. At the moment, he wanted to enjoy this feeling. He was alive. He had a pretty girl sleeping on his chest. It was all too perfect. Nothing could ruin it.  
  
Astra's snapped open. She had been dreaming. She felt someone's head next to her left hand. She sat up and felt the cold metal around her neck. She was wearing the necklace.   
  
She looked at her hand and found Draco. He was sleeping with his back against the bed for support. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled. He was warm and smelled like expensive men's perfume.   
  
She felt him twitch and heard him breath in deeply. He turned his head and she beamed at him. "Good morning sleepy head...." she whispered cheerfully.  
  
"You're awake...." he said as he gave a big yawn and stretched. "I finally had the chance to come down here and you were asleep on this bed... so I decided to wait...."  
  
"Thank you....." she said. She kissed him on his cheek.  
  
Harry felt Ginny finally stirring. He opened his eyes and gazed down at her as best as he could without moving too much. Her brown eyes fluttered open. She breathed in deeply as she nuzzled against him. "Good morning, Gin...." he whispered to her.  
  
She rested her chin on his chest and smiled down at him. "Good morning. Madame Pomfrey didn't make too much of a fuss last night, did she...."  
  
"After checking you over, she had a few more people to take care of besides me and Astra...." He said.  
  
Harry replayed the previous night's events in his head. He still couldn't believe it. It was all over. He had defeated Voldemort at last.   
  
After he, Astra and Ginny walked into the infirmary, Madame Pomfrey started getting more people in the infirmary. He was sure that the poor woman would have a nervous breakdown from so much stress. She was practically shaking with anxiety as she treated Harry's wounds.  
  
Snape had looked the worse for wear, as did Professor McGonagall. She was sipping tea nervously when Madame Pomfrey insisted that he and Astra take a sleeping drought.  
  
He sat up and looked around. He saw Astra was awake and teasing Draco as usual. "You know you were worried.... come on! You can admit it!" she giggled.  
  
Draco's cheeks went pink. "I was not worried! I came down here because you were here...."  
  
"So you were worried about me!" she beamed at him.  
  
McGonagall was sleeping in a chair near the entrance with Professor Snape in the chair beside her. Her hand was in his. As much as it was a bit disturbing to see, he smiled at it.  
  
Then, he looked beside the bed. He was startled to see that the sword was gone. He remembered placing it there before the drought had a chance to work on him. "Wh-What happened to the sword?" he stammered.  
  
Ginny stared at the spot where the sword was, as well. Then, she slapped her head as if she just remembered something. "Oops..." she said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I just remembered what happened to the sword. When you went to sleep, the sword disappeared. Sorry..." she said sheepishly.  
  
"It's okay..." Harry sighed. He kissed Ginny on her forehead and nuzzled her nose with his. "I'm just happy right now...."  
  
A shaking Madame Pomfrey walked in and started looking Harry over. "There a good boy.... you'll be fine..." she said shakily as she prodded his still sore wounds.  
  
"Are you alright, Madame Pomfrey? You're really pale..." said Ginny as she looked up at Madame Pomfrey from the floor.  
  
"I most certainly am!" she growled indignantly.  
  
The doors to the infirmary opened and in walked a couple of kids covered in dirt and bruised, probably from debris falling from the ceiling the previous night. "Madame Pomfrey! Can you help us?" one of them said.  
  
Madame Pomfrey suddenly did something very unexpected. She turned white and collapsed. "Look at what you did, Peter! You killed her!" said the girl of the pair.  
  
"I don't think Madame Pomfrey will be wanting to be a nurse for much longer...." said Ginny.  
  
"I agree....I think the attack last night undid her last nerve...." Harry said.  
  
  
  
Breakfast was a feast. It was almost like it was in his second year when he came out of the Chamber of Secrets, except then, it had been dinner instead. Harry was so happy to be alive, that he didn't mind Draco sitting across from him and making snide remarks at him.  
  
Everyone cheered him and Astra. The Hufflepuffs, more to the point, Ernie McMillen, had apologized to them both about their fellow Hufflepuff's behavior. Professor McGonagall called everyone's attention at once. Everyone went suddenly very silent. Harry knew what would be coming.  
  
"Due to recent events, I must say that I will cancel all the school's exams." She said. Hermione sulked slightly as Ron grinned widely. McGonagall continued. "We will be losing our school nurse, due to her sudden nervous breakdown from last night's events."  
  
Harry saw realized that Madame Pomfrey wasn't at the table. He figured that she was in the infirmary checking herself out for any unknown bugs.   
  
McGonagall suddenly became very solemn. "I am sorry to say this.... but our dear Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore is no longer with us....." Her lips thinned in what looked to be an attempt to keep herself from crying. "For now... I am the Headmistress...."  
  
She picked up her glass and raised it. "Let us raise our glasses to the best Headmaster in Hogwarts history....." Everyone did so. It was very quiet for about ten minutes until everyone began talking and eating.  
  
  
  
Harry rode out the rest of final term happily. On one day, Hermione surprised Harry and Ginny in the library by slinging a book onto his hands. Lucky for him, he had quick reflexes and he took his hands away before the book landed.  
  
"Hullo, Hermione..." said Ginny cheerfully.  
  
"I totally forgot about this book, but I found it!" Hermione said excitedly.  
  
"So what's in it?" Harry asked.  
  
She opened the book and flipped the pages around. "It concerns that sword you had..." She flipped around some more as she talked. "I found out what it was..... and how it was formed....."  
  
Harry was interested. "So...? What did you find?"  
  
She stopped on a page and turned the book around. Harry saw a picture of the sword. It had the triangular knot on the hilt. "It's the Eternius..... It comes only in great need...." Hermione said.  
  
She turned the book around to read. "The Eternius is only formed when the three stones of light come together. They form a triangle, like the symbol on the hilt, and create a special necklace that creates the sword."  
  
Harry started thinking. When he was in the in-between place, He saw Astra formed out of the three stones. "The sword resides in the person who bears the Eternius.... it says, though, that once the sword has been used, it can't be summoned again until there's another bearer."   
  
"Who gave you the sword, Harry?" Ginny asked.  
  
Harry was wrapped up in his own thoughts. The woman with the red eyes had told him that he had the key and that the key was the ring Ginny had given him. "What about the key....." His mind was racing. He had to know.  
  
"Key? It says nothing here....." Hermione said. She bit her bottom lip. "Is something wrong, Harry?"  
  
Harry shook his head. "I'm fine.... I... I found the sword, is all... I found it when I was hit with that killing curse...."  
  
"Interesting... it says nothing in here about it being able to be found anywhere...." Hermione said as she consulted the large book in her hands.  
  
Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's neck. Harry smiled at her. She kissed his lips gently. "Maybe when he was hit with the curse it caused a strange reaction and let him have the ability to find the sword like that...." Ginny said as she gave Harry a knowing look. Harry felt a little uncomfortable with her gazing at him like that. She smiled at him.  
  
"Yes, well..." Hermione closed the book. "At least you two are all right..." she smiled at the two of them. "And Astra has that neat Eternius symbol necklace that Draco gave her... It suits her quite well...."  
  
"Yes..." Harry said as he gave a glance over at a set of book shelves behind Hermione. "It does, doesn't it...."  
  
Astra stood behind one massive bookshelf, hiding from Hermione's view. She knew Harry saw her there, but she didn't mind. She now knew what she had on her. It gave her comfort. She wouldn't be able to summon the sword again, but she knew that it would give her protection.  
  
She felt a tingling on her back. It went up her spine to her neck in a seductive crawl. "Hello, Draco...." she said with a smile. She turned around. Draco came around the corner of the bookshelf with a seductive smile.  
  
"You knew I was there....? How interesting...." he said as he came up to her, placing his hands on her waist. He kissed her nose, his eyes twinkling at her.  
  
"I felt you were here...." she corrected him. "You give off a particular vibe..." she said. "Not that I mind...." she grinned at him.  
  
He waggled his eyebrows at her a couple of times and grinned. "Not that I mind either...."  
  
"Oh, get off it... Is that all you can think about?" Astra said.  
  
"No..." Draco kissed Astra on her forehead. "Not all...." He traced a finger over her right arm to her hand, bringing it into view. "That ring.... It'll be replaced....." He said mildly.  
  
She stared at him, wide eyed and her mouth hung open. Draco seemed to take it as an invitation and he closed his mouth over hers. She gave a startled squeak as he pressed her up against the bookcase. He broke away and gazed at her startled expression. "Will you marry me when we leave?"  
  
She smiled up at him. "Of course...."  
  
  
  
Soon, too soon, the time to leave came. Harry was about half depressed about leaving and half consumed with joy for his accomplishment. At the train station, he walked with Ginny around a bit.   
  
"It won't be the same here without you, Harry.... I'll miss you when I go back for my final year...." Ginny held his hand as they walked. Her red hair swirled in the breeze.  
  
Harry kissed her hand and smiled at her. "I'll miss you too.... but it won't be forever.... You just promise me that you'll come home for Christmas."  
  
She smiled up at him. "I promise....."  
  
Then, they came upon Professor Snape and McGonagall talking to each other. Harry grabbed Ginny and they hid behind a wall. Snape looked a little bit nervous. "With the headmaster gone.... you'll be up for the job, Minerva...."  
  
"I'll probably only have it for a year or two.... until they find someone else for the job... I could never take Albus's place...." she sighed.  
  
"You'll still teach though, won't you?" Snape asked in a hopeful sort of voice. It was hard to tell whether he was hopeful or not, really.  
  
"I'll still teach.... why....?" McGonagall turned to Snape. He made a gulping sound and Harry saw that he was as white as a sheet. "What's the matter, Severus? You're so pale and shaky.... are you ill?" She said as she graced her hand across his white forehead.  
  
He grabbed her hand and made that gulping sound again. "Min-Minerva... er..." He seemed to have trouble breathing as well. Ginny was having trouble trying not to giggle. Harry was having some of the same difficulty.  
  
"He really is rather adorable right now, isn't he..." Ginny whispered to Harry.  
  
"This is Snape we're talking about.... If he's adorable, I'd hate to meet what you call drop dead gorgeous..." Harry whispered at her. Ginny slapped him on his shoulder while still trying not to laugh. "Maybe I'm ugly to you then, eh?"  
  
"S-Stop it! I want to listen to what he's stumbling over himself to say!"  
  
Snape was holding McGonagall's hands in his and looked very nervous. Minerva suddenly took notice of something. "Great Merlin, Severus... how much clothing do you wear, anyway!"  
  
Harry and Ginny were on the ground now, holding their sides in silent laughter. McGonagall was prodding Snape with her fingers as she started poking through his clothing. "A coat.... a shirt.... another shirt.... your robe.... Boy, you really don't want your skin revealed to the sun, do you..."   
  
She started digging further. Then, her hand disappeared into Snape's shirt. "Ah ha! I hath found your skin!"  
  
Snape looked about ready to lose his composure. Ginny waggled her eyebrows at Harry. "Hey! You actually have chest hair!"  
  
"Back you vixen!" Snape said as he grabbed McGonagall's hand and took it out of his shirt.  
  
"Oh? Odd... I've never been called a ...." McGonagall blushed furiously. "A vixen...."  
  
Snape was giving McGonagall's blush a run for it's money. Harry had rarely seen Snape lose his composure like this. He coughed to clear his throat and spoke calmly this time. "I.... er..." He botched it up yet again.  
  
"You.... what?"  
  
Snape gulped and breathed in deeply. "I.... was asking because I plan on staying on as Potions Master at Hogwarts and.... Head of Slytherin house..... I.... have no other place to go, really..."  
  
"Severus..... oh...." McGonagall tisked. "You came to us like this before.... well... sort of...."  
  
He seemed to have gained his composure back. He leaned down and kissed McGonagall very gently. "Will you marry me...." Harry barely heard Snape whisper.  
  
McGonagall blushed and smiled. "Y-yes...." she said. Snape leaned down again and kissed McGonagall again.  
  
Ginny tugged on Harry's arm and she took him out of the area, back toward the train. "They make a cute couple, don't they.... I hope we are just as cute...."  
  
Harry's heart stopped for a moment before he breathed in and smiled down at her. "I'm sure we are...." he said. She smiled knowingly at him.  
  
"Ginny... about the ring you gave me... where did you get it?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh that? That's something from the attic.... I don't go up there often because the house ghoul scares me a little, but it was my great grandfather's.... Why?" she said.  
  
"Nothing... I was just curious....."  
  
On the train ride, they played exploding snap and enjoyed their ability to use magic. They were out of school now and they could use magic, except for Ginny who would have to go back for her seventh year.   
  
Ginny nudged Ron in his ribs for the fourth time during the train ride. Harry knew why. It gave him a smile just to watch. Ron's ears went pink as he gave Ginny a scowl and inched closer to Hermione.  
  
Hermione glanced up. "Ron... are you trying to read my cards?" she said in a voice that was edging on irritation.  
  
"N-No...."  
  
"Then, why do you keep edging over like that....?" she said impatiently.  
  
"Er....." Ron looked at Harry for help. Harry shrugged and grinned at him. He turned back to Hermione again. "I er.....I...." He gulped.   
  
"I ask you... how precious is this gonna get...." Astra whispered to Nevaeh.   
  
Ron took a small dusty box out of his jeans pocket. It looked like it had been in use for a few too many years. "I mailed mum a couple of weeks ago to send me this.... er..."  
  
Hermione's brown eyes grew wide as she saw the box. She gazed up at Ron. He cleared his throat and got down on one knee. Nevaeh leaned into Astra and whispered into her ear. "And the pitch....."  
  
Ron too a deep breath. "Will you marry me, Hermione...." he said clearly enough. Hermione looked too stunned to say a word. Ron was turning as red as his hair. Ron closed his eyes tightly and he was shaking visibly.  
  
"R-Ron.... I...." Hermione's mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out. Then, she smiled. She leaned forward and kissed Ron lightly on his lips. He froze. His eyes snapped open and he gazed up at Hermione. She smiled down at him. "Yes...." she said softly.  
  
Ron looked like his birthday had come early. He grabbed Hermione around her shoulders and hugged her. "I love you...." He whispered fervently into her ear.  
  
Appearently, Ron was holding her too tightly. "Ron...", she said in a strangled sort of voice, "I can't breath."  
  
"And it's a home run.... thank you for joining us for a game of Wedding Plans, here at Hogwarts Diamond....." Astra said with a smirk.   
  
"You two just shut up!" Ron growled.  
  
Soon, the train stopped and they had to retrieve their trunks. Harry saw Sirius and Remus get off of the train. Sirius had out the car he had been working on during the summer. Harry ran over to them both and hugged them.   
  
"Well, well, well.... you're out at last, huh? Any plans?" Sirius said with a smirk.  
  
Harry blushed slightly. "Not as of yet...." He glanced at Ginny as she met up with the rest of her family. He smiled at her and she smiled back. "But I'm sure everything will turn out for the best in the end...."  
  
Remus smiled. "As am I, Harry...."   
  
Sirius put Harry's trunk in the back end of the car. "Come on, Harry... You'll get to see them in due time..." said Remus.  
  
"Let's go!" Sirius called to them both as he got into the driver's side.  
  
"I know I will.... and I'll forever be with them...." Harry said. He smiled knowing about his time at Hogwarts. Feeling the warmth of being with Sirius and Remus. Knowing that he, Harry Potter, defeated a great wizard. He smiled knowing that Lord Voldemort had finally been destroyed by the boy with the lightning bolt scar. 


End file.
